Yoon Declares Emergency Martial Law in Urgent Address on 3rd
Calls National Assembly a "Monster Destroying the System"
"Will Rebuild and Protect Free Republic of Korea"
President Yoon Suk-yeol is making an emergency announcement at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul on the 3rd. Photo by Yonhap News
President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law on the 3rd.
On that day, President Yoon issued an emergency statement at the Yongsan Presidential Office, stating, "I hereby declare martial law to eradicate pro-North anti-state forces at once and to protect the free constitutional order."
President Yoon said, "Through this martial law, I will rebuild and protect the Free Republic of Korea, which is falling into the abyss of national ruin," adding, "To this end, I will definitely eradicate the root cause of national ruin, the anti-state forces who have committed atrocities until now."
He continued, "This is an inevitable measure to guarantee the people's freedom and safety, as well as the nation's sustainability, from the uprising of anti-state forces aiming to overthrow the system, and to hand down a proper country to future generations."
President Yoon said, "I will eradicate the anti-state forces and normalize the country as quickly as possible," adding, "Due to the declaration of martial law, there may be some inconvenience to the good citizens who believe in and follow the constitutional values of the Free Republic of Korea, but we will focus on minimizing such inconveniences."
President Yoon stated, "Such measures are unavoidable for the perpetuity of the Free Republic of Korea, and there is no change in the foreign policy stance that Korea will fulfill its responsibilities and contributions in the international community."
President Yoon cited the Democratic Party of Korea's continued attempts to impeach government officials and budget cuts as reasons for declaring martial law.
He said to the National Assembly, "The National Assembly, which should be the foundation of liberal democracy, has become a monster that destroys the liberal democratic system."
President Yoon said, "As president, I appeal to the people with a heart that feels like vomiting blood," adding, "Since our government took office, the National Assembly has proposed 22 impeachment motions against government officials, and even after the inauguration of the 22nd National Assembly in June, the 10th impeachment is currently underway."
He pointed out, "This is unprecedented not only in any country in the world but also in the history of our nation's founding."
President Yoon said, "They have paralyzed judicial work by intimidating judges and impeaching many prosecutors, and have also paralyzed the executive branch by attempting to impeach the Minister of the Interior and Safety, the Chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, the Auditor General, and the Minister of National Defense."
He added, "The national budget process has also been sabotaged by cutting all major budgets essential for the nation's core functions, drug crime control, and public safety, thereby damaging the nation's essential functions and turning Korea into a drug haven and a state of public safety panic."
President Yoon said, "This budget outrage is, in a word, mocking the national finances of the Republic of Korea," adding, "The Democratic Party's legislative dictatorship, which uses the budget solely as a means of political strife, did not hesitate to even impeach the budget."
He emphasized, "Government affairs are paralyzed, and the people's sighs are increasing," adding, "This tramples on the constitutional order of the Free Republic of Korea and disrupts legitimate state institutions established by the constitution and law, which is a clear anti-state act plotting rebellion."
President Yoon said, "The people's lives are disregarded, and government affairs are paralyzed solely due to impeachment, special investigations, and the opposition leader's shield," adding, "Our National Assembly has now become a den of criminals, paralyzing the nation's judicial and administrative systems through legislative dictatorship and attempting to overthrow the liberal democratic system."
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