South Korea President Declares Emergency Martial Law Amid Budget Crisis

South Korea’s President, Yoon Suk Yeol, declared a state of emergency martial law on Tuesday, accusing the opposition of being “anti-state forces” attempting to destabilize the government. His remarks came during a national address amid ongoing disputes over the 2024 budget bill.

In a televised speech, Yoon stated, “To protect a liberal South Korea from the threats posed by North Korea’s communist regime and eliminate anti-state forces undermining our people’s freedom and prosperity, I declare emergency martial law.” He further criticized the opposition for prioritizing political agendas over the public interest, claiming they had paralyzed governance by focusing on impeachments, special investigations, and shielding their leader from justice.

The declaration followed intense budgetary conflicts between Yoon’s People Power Party and the opposition-led Democratic Party. Last week, opposition members approved a drastically reduced budget plan, cutting nearly 4.1 trillion won ($2.8 billion) from Yoon’s proposed budget of 677 trillion won. This included slashing the reserve fund and key budgets for government operations, including law enforcement and public security.

Yoon condemned the opposition for undermining vital functions of the state, calling the National Assembly a “haven for criminals” and a “den of legislative dictatorship” that threatens South Korea’s liberal democratic order. He further warned that the cuts would jeopardize national security, such as efforts to combat drug crimes and maintain public safety, describing the opposition’s actions as an attempt to turn the country into a “drug haven” and plunge it into chaos.

With the imposition of martial law, all South Korean military units have been put on high alert, and access to the National Assembly has been sealed off, preventing MPs from entering. Yoon, a former prosecutor, emphasized that the measure was necessary to protect South Korea’s future, assuring the public that foreign policy would not be affected by the move.

This dramatic escalation comes as Yoon’s approval rating plummeted to 19% in a recent Gallup poll, driven by dissatisfaction over economic management and controversies surrounding his wife, Kim Keon Hee.