South Korean President Yoon controversially declared martial law in the country, citing “anti-state activities,” but parliament and protests forced him to reverse it hours later. So what exactly is it and why was it declared?
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00:00You might have heard the news that South
00:01Korea was under martial law.
00:03For many South Korean citizens, the news
00:05came mostly as a complete shock.
00:07Well, that's all over for now.
00:08But why was it declared?
00:09And what is martial law?
00:12I declare martial law to protect the
00:14free Republic of Korea from the threat
00:16of North Korean communist forces.
00:19Martial law is an extreme measure where
00:21civilian authority and law is replaced
00:23by military control.
00:25South Korean President Yun did this,
00:27citing anti-state activities
00:29by his political opposition.
00:31Yun claimed the move was necessary to
00:33safeguard democracy and counter
00:35domestic unrest and North Korean
00:37threats.
00:38Through this martial law, I will
00:40rebuild and protect the free Republic
00:42of Korea, which is falling into the
00:43abyss of national ruin.
00:45However, critics argued it was a
00:47political ploy to combat plummeting
00:49approval ratings in South Korea.
00:51The South Korean president, Kim Jong-un,
00:53denounced the plummeting approval
00:54ratings, impeachment motions
00:57and a fierce budget row.
00:58This is not the beginning of a coup or
01:00anything like that.
01:00It reflects a governmental
01:03crisis in South Korea.
01:04The dramatic night saw troops briefly
01:06occupy parliament and protests erupt.
01:09As security forces sealed the National
01:10Assembly, but 190 politicians
01:13managed to convene and unanimously
01:15voted to reject Yun's declaration
01:17and demand its reversal.
01:19Within hours, martial law was lifted,
01:22and its allies on edge over the
01:24current president's escalating
01:26tactics.