Martial Law Declared in South Korea
Dear Citizens
As your President, I address you today with a heavy heart.
Since the inception of our government, the National Assembly has initiated 22 impeachment motions against government officials. Since the 22nd National Assembly convened in June, they have pursued the impeachment of 10 more officials. This is unprecedented not only in our nation's history but also globally.
The judiciary is being threatened, with numerous prosecutors facing impeachment, paralyzing judicial operations. The impeachment attempts against the Minister of the Interior and Safety, the Chairman of the Broadcasting and Communications Commission, the Auditor General, and the Minister of National Defense are crippling the executive branch.
The handling of the national budget has also been compromised. Essential funds for national functions, drug crime control, and public safety have been entirely cut, turning our country into a haven for drugs and a state of public safety panic. The Democratic Party has slashed 1 trillion won from the disaster response reserve, 38.4 billion won from child care support, 4.1 trillion won from youth employment and deep-sea gas field development projects, and even blocked increases in salaries and allowances for junior military officers.
This budgetary tyranny is nothing short of a mockery of our national finances. The Democratic Party's legislative dictatorship has gone so far as to use the budget as a tool for political strife, even attempting to impeach the budget itself.
Our government is paralyzed, and the sighs of our citizens grow louder. This is a blatant act of rebellion against the constitutional order of the Republic of Korea, disrupting legitimate state institutions and plotting insurrection.
The lives of our citizens are being disregarded, with the government paralyzed by impeachments, special investigations, and the opposition leader's immunity. Our National Assembly has become a den of criminals, using legislative dictatorship to paralyze the judicial and administrative systems and attempting to overthrow our democratic system.
The National Assembly, which should be the foundation of our democracy, has become a monster that threatens to collapse our democratic system. Our nation is on the brink of collapse.
Dear citizens, to protect the Republic of Korea from the threats of North Korean communism and to eradicate the shameless pro-North anti-state forces that are plundering our freedom and happiness, I declare martial law.
Through this martial law, I will rebuild and protect the Republic of Korea, which is falling into the abyss. I will eradicate the anti-state forces that have been wreaking havoc. This is an unavoidable measure to ensure the freedom and safety of our citizens and the sustainability of our nation, and to pass on a proper country to future generations.
I will eliminate the anti-state forces and normalize the country as quickly as possible. While martial law may cause inconvenience to the good citizens who believe in and follow the values of our constitution, I will strive to minimize these inconveniences.
This measure is necessary for the perpetuity of the Republic of Korea and does not alter our commitment to international responsibility and contribution. As your President, I earnestly appeal to you. I will dedicate myself to protecting the Republic of Korea. Trust me. Thank you.
Martial Law Command Proclamation (No. 1)
To protect our democracy and ensure the safety of our citizens against the threat of anti-state forces aiming to overthrow our system, martial law is hereby declared across the Republic of Korea from 23:00 on December 3, 2024.
All political activities, including the activities of the National Assembly, local councils, political parties, political associations, assemblies, and demonstrations, are hereby prohibited.
All acts that deny or seek to overthrow our democratic system, including the spread of fake news, manipulation of public opinion, and false agitation, are hereby prohibited.
All media and publications will be under the control of the Martial Law Command.
All strikes, go-slows, and assembly activities that cause social unrest are hereby prohibited.
All medical professionals, including junior doctors currently on strike or who have left their posts, must return to their duties within 48 hours and diligently perform their duties. Violators will be dealt with under martial law.
Measures will be taken to minimize inconvenience for law-abiding citizens in their daily lives, except for those involved in anti-state or subversive activities.
Violators of this proclamation will be arrested, detained, and subjected to search and seizure without a warrant under Article 9 (Special Measures of the Martial Law Commander) of the Martial Law Act, and will be punished according to Article 14 (Penalties) of the same act.
December 3, 2024 (Tue) Martial Law Commander, General Park Ahn-su
In the first instance of martial law since the establishment of the Sixth Republic following the Chun Doo-hwan administration, 190 members of the National Assembly convened and passed a resolution to lift the emergency martial law within just 2 hours and 30 minutes. The martial law forces were unable to prevent this and subsequently withdrew.