South Korea declares Martial Law

[Oric]

South Korean president declares emergency martial law, accusing opposition of anti-state activities

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has declared an “emergency martial law," accusing the country's opposition of controlling the parliament and paralyzing the government with anti-state activities.

apnews.com

A Martial Law for Political Reasons ? That is going to be a long story.

 

[FelixDeCat]

I was just going to post this.

Will Trump do this in response to ANTIFA rmayhem two years from now? Hopefully we don't see this.

 

[Brainonska511]

Just saw this in The Guardian. Looks like he's escalating a political spat with the parliament, which is controlled by the opposition party.

 

[Paratus]

So is parliament being unreasonable or is it the president?

 

[Brainonska511]

So is parliament being unreasonable or is it the president?

If I recall, the president is from the right-wing party and is fairly unpopular. Good chance he is being the unreasonable one.

 

[Jaskalas]

Sounds like the use of force to impose tyranny.
Democracy may not have the chops we thought it did. Especially in a modern social media environment.

 

[K1052]

If I recall, the president is from the right-wing party and is fairly unpopular. Good chance he is being the unreasonable one.

Yeah, he's basically up shit creek politically from my understanding and has even been denounced by the leader of his own party.

 

[mikeymikec]

The military also said that the country’s striking doctors should return to work within 48 hours, Yonhap said. Thousands of doctors have been striking for months over government plans to expand the number of students at medical schools.

Who am I supposed to side with here? I wonder if there's some missing detail like a gov proposal to make the passing grade for new doctors being knowing which end of the spoon is the correct one to use in surgery.

 

[K1052]

Videos of APCs on the streets of Seoul and the military entering the National Assembly building. Looks like they are doing the thing.

 

[fskimospy]

Videos of APCs on the streets of Seoul and the military entering the National Assembly building. Looks like they are doing the thing.

This is a bold move for someone who seems to lack political support.

 

[Jaskalas]

This is a bold move for someone who seems to lack political support.

"Lacks political support".
Maybe.

But I recall Republicans denouncing January 6th. Before they endorsed it at the impeachment. Before they endorsed the man who did it and catapulted him right back into power.
Their words of opposition were hollow, crumbling at the first chance of opportunity.

Hopefully South Koreans have more sense than us.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

This is a bold move for someone who seems to lack political support.

Only support he needs at this time is the Military.
However I know nothing of this situation

 

[WelshBloke]

Who am I supposed to side with here? I wonder if there's some missing detail like a gov proposal to make the passing grade for new doctors being knowing which end of the spoon is the correct one to use in surgery.

I mean suspending democracy for political expediency is always a massive red flag!
Declaring martial law to silence your political opposition pretty much guarantees that you are the bad guy!

 

[K1052]

This is a bold move for someone who seems to lack political support.

I think his approval is like 20%. I would just resign instead of running risks that would probably see my demise at the hands of an assassin or a firing squad.

 

[Muse]

I think his approval is like 20%. I would just resign instead of running risks that would probably see my demise at the hands of an assassin or a firing squad.

This kind of thing isn't terribly unusual. What does shock me is that it's happening in South Korea, which is modernized and has a relatively successful economy. I don't expect this to escalate to a bloodbath or what might transpire in a thatch roof country.

Update 6 minutes ago at NYTimes:

In a late-night meeting, the National Assembly adopted a resolution demanding the lifting of martial law. By law, the president must honor the resolution. The act on martial law says that if the assembly demands an end to martial law, the president must end it “without delay.”

 

[K1052]

Based on the reports I am seeing a super unpopular President trying to overthrow the democratic order while a non-trivial percentage of the population is three sheets to the wind and extremely pissed might not have been the best plan.

 

[sandorski]

Was not expecting this.

 

[K1052]

Reports the military has withdrawn from the National Assembly.

 

[fskimospy]

Reports the military has withdrawn from the National Assembly.

This looks like an extremely poorly considered coup attempt.

 

[K1052]

This looks like an extremely poorly considered coup attempt.

Looks like he just randomly decided to do it and caught everybody off guard, including the military that he was relying on.

 

[MrSquished]

Project 2025 is taking notes

 

[cytg111]

Sounds like the use of force to impose tyranny.
Democracy may not have the chops we thought it did. Especially in a modern social media environment.

We need AI to rule.

Come on OpenAI, before Elmo cuts your balls off and we get "Grok".

 

[Amused]

South Korean military officials said the law will remain in place until the president lifts it, according to local media outlet YTN.

"대통령 계엄 해제까지는 계엄사 유지"...도심에 장갑차 목격도

[앵커커]국방부에 나가 있는 취재기자 한번 연결해서 국방부 상황을 들어보겠습니다. 박희재 기자! 국방부 출입하고 있는 박희재 기자 연결하겠습니다.[기자] 국방부에 나...

www.ytn.co.kr

 

[K1052]

South Korean military officials said the law will remain in place until the president lifts it, according to local media outlet YTN.

From what I read he is obligated to comply but not on the clock. Seems like more technicality now because the military is not enforcing.

Anyway he's probably getting impeached real soon and, I assume, subsequently arrested.

 

[Oric]

I wonder if the ultra-low birth rates and declining population has created some kind of dystopia in some of the Koreans' minds "No Future"