Lee Jae-myung: "If Martial Law Had Been Enforced, a 'Korean Killing Field' Would Have Opened"

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, pointed out on the 16th, "If martial law had been enforced, a 'Korean Killing Field' where kidnapping, torture, and murder were commonplace would have opened." He was referring to the Killing Fields incident in the 1970s Cambodia, where about 1.7 million residents were sacrificed due to forced labor and massacres by the Cambodian government.

In a post on Facebook that day, Lee stated, "With the expansion and reproduction of the people's resistance and the martial law troops' violent suppression, the entire Republic of Korea would have become a sea of blood like May Gwangju."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the 14th. 2025.2.14 Photo by Kim Hyun-min

As the basis for this claim, he cited the notebook of former Army Intelligence Commander Noh Sang-won, a key figure in the December 3 emergency martial law. The notebook contained names such as former President Moon Jae-in and Reform Party member Lee Jun-seok, along with phrases like 'shoot to kill.'

Lee wrote, "As written in Noh Sang-won's 'Death Note,' tens of thousands of citizens, branded as anti-state forces by martial law troops, thugs, foreign mercenaries, and fake North Korean soldiers, and hated by someone, would have died silently on the sea without anyone knowing."

Regarding the People Power Party, which declared the conclusion of disciplinary procedures against President Yoon Seok-youl, he questioned, "The ruling party defends Yoon Seok-youl, the first party member who planned the 'Korean Killing Field' and staged a military coup," and asked, "Can the People Power Party, which defends the massacre of the people rather than respecting them, truly be called a people's party that receives public taxes and represents popular sovereignty?"

He raised the level of criticism toward the group that held an anti-impeachment rally for President Yoon in Geumnam-ro, Gwangju, the site of the May 18 Democratic Movement, saying, "Is it human to go to Gwangju, where thousands were killed and injured by martial law troops' guns and knives under Chun Doo-hwan's illegal martial law, and hold a rally defending illegal martial law?"

Lee wrote, "What difference is there between them and demons who cause trouble while defending murderers at the mourning houses of victims who died unjustly?" and added, "It is shocking that some of them gathered under the name of the church, speaking of the Lord's love, claiming the positions of elders and deacons."