Martial Law Declared on the Day Flights to Korea Were Canceled... Japanese Developer Calls It "Absurd Timing"

Yoon's 'Emergency Martial Law Declaration' Timing Coincides
Incheon Airport Operated Normally During Martial Law
However, Restrictions Possible Depending on Situation and Purpose

A foreign game developer booked a plane ticket to Korea, only to coincidentally experience an incident that overlapped with the declaration of martial law.

On the 4th, a post titled "A Japanese Game Developer Surprised While Trying to Travel to Korea" was shared across various online communities. The post captured a tweet from the X account of 'Nyalra,' a Japanese game developer and animator.

Nyalra appeared to have booked a flight to Busan, Korea from Japan the day before. Through his X account, he said, "I feel something good will happen in Korea. Please look forward to it."

Incheon Airport Cargo Terminal view. Provided by Incheon International Airport Corporation

However, shortly after he posted, President Yoon Suk-yeol of Korea delivered an emergency national address and declared martial law. The news quickly spread online, and upon seeing this, Nyalra expressed concern, saying, "This timing is unbelievable," and "Actually, I just booked a flight to Busan, but I might not be able to go."

In the end, he said, "I don't want to cause confusion about the timing, so I will delete this (post) for now. Sorry," and added, "I think I will be able to inform my Korean fans about the arrival date soon. I wish you all happiness." He also used the Korean initial consonants "ㅋㅋㅋ," which represent laughter.

Foreign game developer whose Korean travel reservation date coincided with the 'martial law declaration'. Photo by X Capture

So, would foreigners be restricted from entering or leaving during martial law? According to the constitution, the president can declare martial law to maintain public order in the event of a national emergency such as war or rebellion. After declaring martial law, the president must notify the National Assembly and appoint a martial law commander to oversee related affairs.

In fact, the martial law command issued Proclamation No. 1 the day before. The command prohibited political party activities, political organizations, assemblies, and demonstrations, and stated that the press and publishing would be under the control of the martial law command. However, it also said that "ordinary citizens, excluding forces aiming to overthrow the system, will be allowed to minimize inconvenience in daily life." It was reported that Incheon International Airport continued normal operations after the martial law declaration.

Since this martial law was quickly lifted within six hours, it is difficult to assess the impact on the operation of infrastructure such as airports and ports. However, during martial law, flight operations may be restricted depending on the purpose, scope, and situation of the martial law. If the martial law command seeks to restrict air traffic at airports or specific areas for national security reasons, actual aircraft takeoffs and landings may be suspended.