Lee Jae-myung: "People, Please Come to the National Assembly Quickly... We Must Protect the Last Bastion of Democracy" (Update)

On the evening of the 3rd, President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law, and Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, appealed to the public through a social media video, saying, "Please come to the National Assembly quickly. Protect the National Assembly, the last bastion of democracy."

Lee said, "Soon, tanks, armored vehicles, and soldiers armed with guns and knives will dominate this country. Please stand together to protect the collapsing democracy."

He then addressed the military, saying, "The guns and knives you hold all come from the power of the people," and added, "The owner of this country is the people, and the master to whom the soldiers of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces must obey is not President Yoon but the people."

Lee stated, "The people did not permit President Yoon's martial law. What you must obey is not President Yoon's orders but the orders of the people."

Earlier, President Yoon announced an emergency statement at the Yongsan Presidential Office in the afternoon, declaring, "I hereby proclaim martial law to eradicate pro-North and anti-state forces at once and to protect the free constitutional order."

Police officers are blocking the National Assembly entrance after President Yoon Seok-yeol declared martial law on the 3rd. (Photo by Gong Byung-sun)

After President Yoon declared martial law, the Democratic Party ordered its members to urgently assemble at the National Assembly. It has been reported that all Democratic Party members are gathering at the National Assembly following the summons. However, entry to the National Assembly is currently blocked by the police.

The order to convene the National Assembly is to immediately discuss the procedures necessary for lifting the martial law.

According to Article 77, Paragraph 5 of the Constitution, "When the National Assembly requests the lifting of martial law by a majority vote of the total members, the President shall lift it." Since the Democratic Party holds a majority of seats, it can unilaterally lift the martial law.

Screenshot of Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, during a live broadcast on SNS