Emergency Statement Without Separate Notice to Press Corps
President's Office Staff Who Had Left Work Rush Back
Press Access Restricted... Confusion Inside and Outside Yongsan
Related news about President Yoon Suk-yeol declaring martial law on the 3rd is appearing at Seoul Station. Photo by Yonhap News
President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law late at night on the 3rd, but it is reported that many aides in the presidential office were unaware of this. Immediately after the declaration of martial law, the entrance to the Yongsan Presidential Office was crowded with security personnel confronting ordinary citizens, and tension was palpable inside the presidential office as well.
According to the presidential office, President Yoon's announcement of martial law was made abruptly. Even the presidential aides heard the news of the president's late-night statement after leaving work to spend personal time or while working overtime in the office.
The situation in the presidential office changed rapidly after 9 p.m. the previous day. Rumors began circulating that President Yoon might express his position on the Democratic Party's impeachment of the Audit and Inspection Chief and prosecutors, as well as the unilateral passage of budget cuts, and presidential office officials collectively fell silent.
Around 9:50 p.m., broadcasting companies reportedly received messages requesting live coverage of an urgent announcement by President Yoon. However, reporters covering the presidential office could not enter the briefing room where presidential briefings are usually held because the door was locked.
President Yoon's urgent statement began around 10:23 p.m. without separate notice to the press corps. Through an approximately six-minute emergency address, President Yoon declared martial law. The full text of the president's statement was distributed to the media at 11:23 p.m., and photos taken by an exclusive photographer were released at 11:09 p.m.
On the night of the 3rd, when martial law was declared, barricades were installed in front of the entrances to the Yongsan Presidential Office and the Ministry of National Defense buildings in Seoul, as vehicles headed toward the building entrances. Photo by Yonhap News.
Reporters requested an explanation of the situation from the presidential office, but there has been no response so far. After the declaration of martial law, access to the press room inside the presidential office has also been restricted for the press corps. It is reported that the martial law commander instructed the security office to control reporter access.
At the entrance to the presidential office building, a commotion briefly occurred between reporters and staff who were blocked from entering. Several presidential office employees who had left work hurriedly returned to the office upon hearing the sudden news of martial law.
Meanwhile, the National Assembly held a plenary session on the 4th and passed a resolution demanding the lifting of martial law. The resolution to demand the lifting of martial law was passed with 190 members present and 190 votes in favor. The Speaker's office stated, "With the passage of the resolution to lift martial law, the declaration of martial law is invalid."
Article 77, Paragraph 5 of the Constitution states, "When the National Assembly demands the lifting of martial law with the approval of the majority of the total members, the president shall lift it." However, the presidential office has not issued a separate statement despite the passage of the National Assembly's resolution demanding the lifting of martial law.
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