South Korea’s Yoon Declares Emergency Martial Law Amid Political Tensions

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has declared an “emergency martial law.” He made this announcement on Tuesday, saying that the opposition party has too much power in the parliament and is helping North Korea, which is causing problems for the government.

During a live broadcast, Yoon promised to “get rid of pro-North Korean groups and protect our democratic way of life.” It’s unclear how this will impact how the country is run.

Yoon, who has been president since 2022, has seen his popularity drop recently. He has had a hard time moving his plans forward because the opposition Democratic Party controls the parliament. There has been a standstill between Yoon’s conservative People Power Party and the Democratic Party about the budget for next year.

Yoon also faced criticism for not allowing independent inquiries into scandals involving his wife and other officials. After his announcement, the Democratic Party held a special meeting to discuss what to do next.