National Assembly Dark Tour Marks First Anniversary of December 3 Martial Law
Woo Wonshik, Speaker of the National Assembly, served as a guide for the National Assembly dark tour commemorating the first anniversary of the December 3 Emergency Martial Law, explaining key scenes from the period of martial law to citizens.
Woo Wonshik, Speaker of the National Assembly, participated as a docent in the "Emergency Martial Law Lifting 1st Anniversary Commemoration" dark tour held on December 3 at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, and toured the third-floor central hall where the martial law troops had stormed in with citizens. 2025.12.3 Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group
On December 3, at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Speaker Woo toured the site with 50 citizens in a dark tour format, visiting locations such as the spot where he climbed over the wall, the National Assembly sports field, the Rotunda Hall, and the main chamber. A dark tour is a journey to sites of tragic history, intended to remember the past and draw lessons from it.
Speaker Woo appeared wearing the same coat he wore when he climbed over the National Assembly wall on the day martial law was declared. He explained, "This event was organized to reflect on a moment of crisis for democracy and to reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that such events never happen again," adding, "It is not just a simple tour, but a day to firmly engrave the importance of democracy."
Speaker Woo visited various locations within the National Assembly and described the situation during the December 3 Martial Law. At the main gate, he said, "The entrances to the National Assembly were blocked one by one. Police buses blocked the way, and the National Assembly Guard also blocked access," adding, "The National Assembly Guard is a police force dispatched to protect the Assembly, but they prevented lawmakers and staff from entering to lift martial law. This was unconstitutional and illegal."
Moving to the spot where he climbed over the wall, he said, "As the Speaker of the National Assembly is the only person who can convene a plenary session, I was told I must get to the Assembly. I arrived just as the police bus was blocking the gate," adding, "I considered scolding the National Assembly Guard, but ultimately gave up and climbed over the wall at this spot."
In the Rotunda Hall, the central hall of the main building, he described the scene where martial law troops broke through the glass windows, and in the main chamber, he explained the process of passing the resolution to lift martial law.
Speaker Woo explained that the vote to lift martial law was delayed in order to eliminate procedural flaws, saying, "I received all sorts of criticism throughout my life because of that process," and with a smile, added, "Some of you here even criticized me, but the intensity of your criticism reflects your love for democracy."
Woo Wonshik, Speaker of the National Assembly, is speaking at the Independence Memory Square during the "That Day 12.3 Dark Tour" held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 3rd. 2025.12.3 Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group
As the final stop, Speaker Woo visited Independence Memory Square, saying, "There is a reason I chose this as the last course." He recalled, "On December 14, when the impeachment motion was passed in the National Assembly, many citizens gathered in Yeouido demanding that the impeachment be adopted. I went up to the roof of the lawmakers' office building to see the crowds. My heart felt like it would burst, and I was deeply moved."
He continued, "Whenever our country faced difficulties, it was the people who stepped forward to overcome those challenges and build our democracy," adding, "If you look at our history, the power of the people comes from the countless nameless volunteers, independence fighters, and liberation army members who fought with weapons when our country was lost, and who fell without recognition or glory."
He emphasized, "Because of those people, we were able to reclaim our country, and because of that spirit, we have been able to protect our democracy to this day. The history of our democracy began with those nameless volunteers, independence fighters, and liberation army members who gave everything."
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