Doubts are growing about the decision-making process regarding President yoon Seok-yeol’s midnight declaration of martial law. It is indeed reported that President Yoon did not consult in advance with senior staff, including Chief of Staff Jeong Jin-seok and National Security Office Director Shin Won-sik. Minister of National Defense Kim yong-hyun said he had suggested this, but since even senior staff members were not aware of it, some say it exposed a loophole in the decision-making system of the President’s Office.
● “Neither the Chief of Staff nor the Chief of Security Office know about the declaration of martial law.”
On the morning of the 3rd, President Yoon had a summit meeting and lunch with President Sadir Japarov of Kyrgyzstan (Kyrgyz Republic), who was on an official visit to Korea, at the Yongsan Presidential Office. It is indeed said that preparations for the live broadcast began in the briefing room after the statement presentation plan was delivered to the working-level staff around 5 p.m.
Earlier, Minister Kim Yong-hyun reportedly suggested to President Yoon on this day that “declaring martial law is unavoidable to eradicate pro-North Korea anti-state forces at once and protect the free constitutional order.” Afterwards, President Yoon convened a Cabinet meeting in the Presidential Office in Yongsan in complete secrecy at around 9 p.m. to formally intentional on the declaration of martial law.
President Yoon declared martial law in an emergency public address at 10:23 p.m. on this day, saying, “We will rebuild and protect the free Republic of Korea, wich is falling into ruin.” The next day, at 1:01 a.m. on the 4th, immediately after the National Assembly passed a resolution requesting the lifting of martial law, there was also talk that President Yoon was unwilling to accept the National Assembly’s resolution. Because of this very reason, it was claimed that Prime Minister Han Deok-soo entered the President’s office again around 2:30 a.m. and persuaded President Yoon that it would be illegal if he did not accept it. President Yoon announced the lifting of martial law only at 4
While declaring the lifting of martial law, President Yoon said, “I ask the National Assembly to immediately stop the outrageous acts that paralyze the function of the state through repeated impeachment, legislative manipulation, and budget manipulation.”
● There is also the claim that “Yeon was unwilling to accept the resolution to lift martial law.”
Chief Secretary Jeong is said to have presided over a staff meeting around 8 a.m. on this day and said, “Let’s collectively consider the issue of future actions.” participants reported that the meeting was held briefly and in a somber atmosphere. Afterwards, the president’s Office announced that all three heads of offices, including Chief of Staff Jeong, Director of National Security Office Shin, and Director of Policy Seong Tae-yoon, and all senior secretaries and above submitted their resignations.
The President’s office did not mention anything about President Yoon’s declaration of martial law. It was deemed challenging to justify president Yoon’s judgment in a situation where national anxiety was caused by the declaration of martial law in a situation that could not be considered a national emergency and the entry of martial law troops into the National Assembly.When the opposition party spread the ‘martial law theory’ in September of this year,the President’s Office denied it,using harsh expressions such as “ghost story” and “martial law operation.”
In such a situation, an atmosphere of bewilderment was evident when president Yoon consulted with a very small number of people and declared actual martial law. An official from the Presidential Office said, “While waiting for the results of Representative Lee Jae-myung’s trial, in the latter half of his term, he could have raised his approval rating and found a driving force for running the state through actions for the people’s livelihood, such as ‘overcoming polarization,’ but I do not know why the president made such a self-destructive decision.” .
Some point out that President Yoon may have turned to the right as he watched a lot of conservative YouTube videos and frequently communicated with them. in fact, on this day, a YouTube host who President Yoon is known to frequently watch spoke to President Yoon, saying, “Wouldn’t it have been better if he had done that?” A ruling party official with a pro-Yoon (pro-Yoon Seok-yeol) tendency claimed, “President Yoon was willing to go to the extent of impeachment to expose the recklessness of the Democratic Party of Korea, and threw a bet on martial law by trying to normalize it.” It is indeed said that with this perception, President Yoon chose the extreme method of declaring martial law. There was criticism from the ruling party that in the statement declaring martial law, he criticized the opposition party as ‘anti-national forces who are the culprits behind the ruin of the country’ and that it shows President Yoon’s lack of awareness of the situation.
Reporter Hwang Hyeong-jun [email protected]
Reporter Ko Do-ye [email protected]
Reporter Shin Na-ri [email protected]
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How did the National Assembly’s swift response affect president Yoon’s administration and decision-making process?
This article discusses a recent and controversial decision by President Yoon Seok-yeol of South Korea to declare martial law, which has stirred considerable public debate and concerns over the decision-making process within the president’s office.
On December 4, 2024, martial law was lifted by the National Assembly after a resolution was passed with unanimous support, raising questions about the circumstances leading to the initial declaration. President Yoon’s decision, made during a midnight proclamation on December 3, reportedly took senior staff by surprise, as key officials, including the Chief of Staff and the National Security Office Director, were unaware of the impending declaration. Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun had suggested the measure earlier,citing the need to suppress pro-North Korea elements,but the lack of broader consultation highlighted potential flaws in the decision-making system.
The declaration was made after a secret Cabinet meeting, with President Yoon framing it as a necessary step to protect the republic of Korea. However, following backlash and the swift response from the national Assembly, where the resolution to lift the martial law was overwhelmingly adopted, Prime Minister Han Deok-soo reportedly had to persuade Yoon to accept the resolution due to concerns over its legality.
In conjunction with the martial law announcement, President Yoon criticized the National Assembly for what he termed “outrageous acts” that obstructed state functions, indicating a contentious political habitat. Following the events, there was visible unease among the President’s advisers, leading to resignations of several senior officials.
Critics have pointed to President Yoon’s reliance on a limited circle of advisors and questionable communication strategies, which may reflect a growing alignment with more conservative factions and opinions, particularly influenced by right-wing media. Such decisions have raised doubts about his ability to effectively lead and manage ongoing political crises, especially as the nation was not in a state of emergency at the time of the martial law declaration.
the episode has led to meaningful speculation about the ramifications for President yoon’s administration, the political climate in South Korea, and broader implications for democracy and governance in the country.