CNN Cites Weak Political Base and Low Approval Ratings as Background for Yoon's Martial Law

"Even Conservatives Criticize Martial Law," CNN Points Out
Citing "Weak Political Base and Low Approval Ratings" as Reasons

CNN predicted that "demands for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol, centered on corruption allegations, will now grow larger" as the state of emergency declared by President Yoon was lifted on the 4th, just over six hours after his urgent special address to the nation. On the 3rd (local time), CNN reported that protests demanding President Yoon's resignation had continued for several weeks, and that he declared martial law in a late-night TV speech.

A scene is being broadcast showing President Yoon Suk-yeol announcing the lifting of the martial law declaration through an additional statement at the early dawn of the 4th at the Yongsan Presidential Office in Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

Subsequently, CNN cited President Yoon's "weak political foundation" and "low approval ratings" as reasons behind his declaration of martial law. In particular, it noted, "President Yoon was elected in the 2022 presidential election by the narrowest margin in South Korean history, just 0.7 percentage points," adding, "At the time, some voters said they voted for President Yoon because they disliked the opposing candidate (then Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party) more, which is difficult to interpret as a mandate for change. Moreover, President Yoon, a former prosecutor and political novice, was not well known domestically or internationally."

In the early morning of the 4th, opposition party lawmakers are watching President Yoon Seok-yeol's martial law lifting statement in the National Assembly plenary session hall. Photo by Yonhap News

Especially, CNN explained that the rapid emergence of opposition to President Yoon's martial law declaration even among conservative leaders is evidence of this. In fact, criticism of President Yoon's martial law declaration was strong even within the ruling party, including the People Power Party. Professor Ramon Pacheco Pardo of King's College London told CNN in an interview, "Being an outsider has limited President Yoon's standing within the party (People Power Party)."

CNN also mentioned that President Yoon's wife, Kim Keon-hee, has been embroiled in several scandals, stating, "This is eroding his fragile popularity. In the most recent Gallup Korea poll conducted before the martial law declaration, his approval rating was only 19%," and added, "President Yoon is struggling to push his political agenda in the National Assembly controlled by the opposition Democratic Party." Finally, CNN pointed out, "It is highly ironic that President Yoon first gained fame as the Prosecutor General who led the investigation into former President Park Geun-hye's corruption case, which led to her impeachment," and noted, "It is also ironic that one of the justifications he gave for this martial law was the Democratic Party's impeachment motion against the prosecution's top leadership."