President Yoon Declared Martial Law in South Korea (Full Speech Text), Lifting Expected, Opposition Party Plans to Impeach Yoon
2024-12-3, Tara O
President Yoon Suk-yeol declared an emergency and imposed Martial Law on December 3, 2024 around 10:30 p.m. (Seoul time).. Yoon criticized the “legislative dictatorship” of anti-state forces at the National Assembly, which has weaponized impeachment and its lawmaking authority.
President Yoon Suk-yeol declares Martial Law, 2024-12-3
The leftist Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has the most seats at the National Assembly, and as such, dominates the National Assembly. Such a huge victory for a political party is unprecedented, and the DPK had landslide wins in the April 2020 elections as well as during the April 2024 elections, with a din of election fraud allegations that were never investigated by the government. The DPK is led by Lee Jae-myung, who is mired in scandals and under investigation for various corruption charges. See here, here, here, here, and here. The DPK threatened and introduced proposals to impeach many of the prosecutors who prosecuted Lee Jae-myung and the judge who ruled Lee guilty of his charges.
Yoon’s Martial Law Declaration speech:
President Yoon’s Martial Law Speech (full text below):
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Respected citizens, as President, I appeal to you with an intensely heavy heart.
So far, the National Assembly has initiated 22 impeachment proceedings against government officials since the inauguration of my administration, and is pursuing the impeachment of 10 government officials since the 22nd National Assembly, which began in June [2024].
This is not only unprecedented in any country in the world, but it is also unprecedented since the founding of our country.
They are paralyzing judicial work by intimidating judges and impeaching a number of prosecutors, and they are also paralyzing the executive branch by attempting to impeach the Minister of Administration and Security, the Chairwoman of the Korea Communications Commission, the Chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection, and the Defense Minister.
In handling of the state budget, they have also completely cut all major budgets for the essential functions of the state, the crackdown on drug crimes, and the maintenance of public safety, thereby undermining the essential functions of the state and turning the Republic of Korea into a drug paradise and a state of panic for the people’s livelihood.
The Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has cut 4.1 trillion won ($3 billion) from next fiscal year’s budget, including 1 trillion won ($740 million) in disaster relief reserves, 38.4 billion won ($28 million) in childcare allowances, jobs for young people, and deep-water gas field development projects.
Even the measures to improve the pay for the military cadres, such as raising salaries and allowances for junior military officers [Commissioned and Non-commissioned], and increasing on-call duty allowances, has been put on the brakes.
In a word, these kinds of outrageous acts with the budget are making a mockery of the national finances of the Republic of Korea.
The DPK’s legislative dictatorship, which uses the budget only as a means of political battle, has not hesitated to weaponize the budget.
The government is paralyzed, and the bemoaning of the people is increasing.
This is a clear anti-state act of plotting a civil war that tramples on the constitutional order of the free Republic of Korea and undermines the legitimate state institutions established by the Constitution and the law.
They don’t care about the people’s lives and only focus on impeachment, special prosecutors, and bulletproofing the leader of the opposition party [DPK], and are paralyzing the government functions.
Today, our National Assembly has become a den of criminals, paralyzing the country’s judicial and administrative system through legislative dictatorship, and attempting to overthrow the liberal democratic system.
The National Assembly, which should be the foundation of free democracy, has become a monster that will destroy the liberal democratic system.
Right now, it would not be surprising even if the Republic of Korea collapsed immediately, as it faces the fate of a lamp in the wind.
My dear citizens,
I declare martial law in order to defend a free Republic of Korea from the threat of the Communist forces of North Korea, to eradicate all the unscrupulous anti-state, pro-North Korea forces who are plundering the freedom and happiness of our people, and to protect the constitutional order based on liberty.
Through this emergency martial law, I will rebuild and defend a free Republic of Korea, which is falling into the abyss of ruin.
To this end, I will surely eradicate the anti-state forces that have been habitually committing wicked deeds. This is an inevitable measure to ensure the freedom and safety of the people and the sustainability of the country from the activities of anti-state forces aimed at overthrowing the system, and to pass on a proper country to future generations.
I will eradicate the anti-state forces and bring the country back to normalcy as soon as possible
The declaration of Martial Law may cause some inconvenience to the good citizens who believed in and followed the values of the Constitution of the Free Republic of Korea, but we will do our best to minimize such inconveniences.
Such measures are necessary for the permanence of a free Republic of Korea, and there is no change in the foreign policy stance of the Republic of Korea fulfilling its responsibilities and contributions to the international community.
As President, I earnestly appeal to the citizens.
I will only believe in you, the people, and defend the free Republic of Korea with your faith. Please trust me.
Thank you.
존경하는 국민 여러분, 저는 대통령으로서 피를 토하는 심정으로 국민 여러분께 호소드립니다.
지금까지 국회는 우리 정부 출범 이후 22건의 정부 관료 탄핵 소추를 발의하였으며, 지난 6월 22대 국회 출범 이후에도 10명째 탄핵을 추진 중에 있습니다.
이것은 세계 어느 나라에도 유례가 없을 뿐 아니라 우리나라 건국 이후에 전혀 유례가 없던 상황입니다.
판사를 겁박하고 다수의 검사를 탄핵하는 등 사법 업무를 마비시키고, 행안부 장관 탄핵, 방통위원장 탄핵, 감사원장 탄핵, 국방 장관 탄핵 시도 등으로 행정부마저 마비시키고 있습니다.
국가 예산 처리도 국가 본질 기능과 마약범죄 단속, 민생 치안 유지를 위한 모든 주요 예산을 전액 삭감하여 국가 본질 기능을 훼손하고 대한민국을 마약 천국, 민생 치안 공황 상태로 만들었습니다.
민주당은 내년도 예산에서 재해대책 예비비 1조원, 아이돌봄 지원 수당 384억 원, 청년 일자리, 심해 가스전 개발 사업 등 4조1000억 원을 삭감하였습니다.
심지어 군 초급간부 봉급과 수당 인상, 당직 근무비 인상 등 군 간부 처우 개선비조차 제동을 걸었습니다.
이러한 예산 폭거는 한마디로 대한민국 국가 재정을 농락하는 것입니다.
예산까지도 오로지 정쟁의 수단으로 이용하는 이러한 민주당의 입법 독재는 예산 탄핵까지도 서슴지 않았습니다.
국정은 마비되고 국민들의 한숨은 늘어나고 있습니다.
이는 자유대한민국의 헌정질서를 짓밟고, 헌법과 법에 의해 세워진 정당한 국가기관을 교란시키는 것으로써, 내란을 획책하는 명백한 반국가 행위입니다.
국민의 삶은 안중에도 없고 오로지 탄핵과 특검, 야당 대표의 방탄으로 국정이 마비 상태에 있습니다.
지금 우리 국회는 범죄자 집단의 소굴이 되었고, 입법 독재를 통해 국가의 사법·행정 시스템을 마비시키고, 자유민주주의 체제의 전복을 기도하고 있습니다.
자유민주주의의 기반이 되어야 할 국회가 자유민주주의 체제를 붕괴시키는 괴물이 된 것입니다.
지금 대한민국은 당장 무너져도 이상하지 않을 정도의 풍전등화의 운명에 처해 있습니다.
친애하는 국민 여러분,
저는 북한 공산 세력의 위협으로부터 자유대한민국을 수호하고 우리 국민의 자유와 행복을 약탈하고 있는 파렴치한 종북 반국가 세력들을 일거에 척결하고 자유 헌정질서를 지키기 위해 비상계엄을 선포합니다.
저는 이 비상계엄을 통해 망국의 나락으로 떨어지고 있는 자유 대한민국을 재건하고 지켜낼 것입니다.
이를 위해 저는 지금까지 패악질을 일삼은 만국의 원흉 반국가 세력을 반드시 척결하겠습니다. 이는 체제 전복을 노리는 반국가 세력의 준동으로부터 국민의 자유와 안전, 그리고 국가 지속 가능성을 보장하며, 미래 세대에게 제대로 된 나라를 물려주기 위한 불가피한 조치입니다.
저는 가능한 한 빠른 시간 내에 반국가 세력을 척결하고 국가를 정상화 시키겠습니다.
계엄 선포로 인해 자유대한민국 헌법 가치를 믿고 따라주신 선량한 국민들께 다소의 불편이 있겠습니다마는, 이러한 불편을 최소화하는 데 주력할 것입니다.
이와 같은 조치는 자유대한민국의 영속성을 위해 부득이한 것이며, 대한민국이 국제사회에서 책임과 기여를 다한다는 대외 정책 기조에는 아무런 변함이 없습니다.
대통령으로서 국민 여러분께 간곡히 호소드립니다.
저는 오로지 국민 여러분만 믿고 신명을 바쳐 자유 대한민국을 지켜낼 것입니다. 저를 믿어주십시오.
감사합니다.
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See here for full text in Korean: https://www.skyedaily.com/news/news_view.html?ID=255211
With the Declaration of Martial Law, President Yoon designated the Army Chief of Staff General Park An-su (박안수) as the Martial Law Commander. General Park has an operational background, and worked at the Second Operations Command, the Ground Component Command, the 8th Corps, and the 39th Infantry Division (as the commander).
Martial Law troops arrived at the National Assembly a bit after midnight on December 4, and blocked the back entrance of the first floor of the main building and the main entrance of the second gate. They attempted to enter the main office, but dozens of DPK aides blocked the martial law troops with doors, flower pots, and office furniture. Lawmakers and aides having dinner or live nearby were allowed to enter the National Assembly initially. Eventually, the police blocked further entry of the lawmakers and aides.
Meanwhile, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik (우원식) opened a plenary session with a proposal to lift Martial Law. Around 1 a.m. (Seoul time) on December 4, all 190 lawmakers (mostly DPK) present passed a resolution demanding lifting of the Martial Law. Interestingly, the Martial Law specifically prohibited political activities, including the ones at the National Assembly.
Around 4:30 a.m. on December 4, Yoon said he withdrew the military from the National Assembly and will lift Martial Law as a result of the National Assembly demanding lifting Martial Law. Yoon requested that the National Assembly stop using impeachment, lawfare, and defunding to halt the government functions.
Han Dong-hoon, Yoon’s Justice Minister-turned the leader of the People Power Party, was critical of Yoon’s Martial Law declaration and called for firing the Defense Minister. Han had been clashing with Yoon after he left the Justice Minister position. Han is a former prosecutor who aggressively and unfairly pursued the imprisonment of President Park Geun-hye and then-Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong of Samsung under former president Moon Jae-in during Park’s impeachment ordeal, and had been criticized for surrounding himself with those with Chinese Communist Party (CCP) association.
Later in the morning, the DPK vowed to propose an impeachment indictment against President Yoon Suk-yeol as early as December 4 and report it to the plenary session of the National Assembly the next day.