When Martial Law Troops Appear with Helicopters... "Unbelievable," CNN Reporter Startled

In Front of the National Assembly, Martial Law Troops and Military Vehicles
CNN Reporter "Unbelievable" Sighs

On the 3rd, a helicopter flew over the National Assembly, and military vehicles appeared, leading to clashes with protesters. A CNN reporter sighed, saying, "I can't believe this." CNN

In the middle of the night, President Yoon Seok-yeol declared martial law, leading to a movie-like scene with helicopters flying over the National Assembly and military vehicles appearing in front of it, clashing with protesters. A CNN reporter on the scene exclaimed, "I can't believe this."

On the 3rd, CNN reporter Mike Valerio said, "I am currently among the protesters, and two military vehicles are trying to leave this area," pointing to the vehicles and adding, "Look at this. I can't believe it." He continued, "Korean politics has long been divided and partisan, but no leader in the democratic era has ever declared martial law," expressing shock by saying, "Korea has plunged into a political unknown sea."

Reuters also reported that this declaration of martial law "delivered a major shock to South Korea, which has been considered democratic since the 1980s." The New York Times (NYT) described President Yoon's martial law declaration as "an extraordinary response to a political deadlock," and regarding the National Assembly's resolution to lift martial law, it reported, "South Korean lawmakers voted to challenge the president by demanding the end of martial law." Japanese media and Chinese state-run outlets also quickly covered the news. Notably, on Baidu, China's largest search portal, the news of South Korea's martial law declaration ranked first in search terms.

On the night of the 3rd, President Yoon Seok-yeol announced in an emergency statement from the Presidential Office in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, "To protect the free Republic of Korea from the threat of North Korean communist forces and to eradicate the shameless pro-North anti-state forces who plunder the freedom and happiness of our people at once, and to uphold the free constitutional order, I hereby declare martial law." This is the first martial law declaration in 45 years since 1979. Consequently, at 1 a.m. on the 4th, a motion to lift martial law was submitted to the plenary session, and with all 190 members of the National Assembly present, it was passed unanimously. President Yoon chaired a Cabinet meeting in the early hours of the 4th and approved the National Assembly's request to lift martial law, ending it within six hours.