Martial law declared in South Korea.

[littlebabyjesus]

Is the President still in charge of the country?

No.

 

[JimW]

Perhaps Biden can pardon him while he's in the swing of things.

 

[Cid]

This is very confusing, seems to be totally out of the blue...

It seems like a move totally for political self-preservation. His own party opposes it. Surely he can't last long? Is this really as stupid as it looks or are we missing something?

Genuinely seems that way... Had a quick chat with a Korean friend earlier, all round bafflement it seems.

 

[burtabraham]

So he has thrown a tantrum because parliament won't pass his budget. Can imagine trump doing simalar.

Truss, on the other hand, is kicking herself for not thinking of it first.

 

[PTK]

According to Wikipedia:

“In October 2021, Yoon made complimentary remarks about former authoritarian military dictator of South Korea Chun Doo-hwan.”

“On 20 March 2022, he announced that he would establish his presidential office in the Ministry of National Defense building in Yongsan District, Seoul, instead of the Blue House. . .”

“Yoon has appointed people affiliated with the controversial South Korean New Right movement to prominent positions in government and public life. According to a report by Kyunghyang Shinmun, at least 21 New Right figures were holding 25 key positions in eight public institutions and committees related to Korean history under the Yoon's administration.”

A protestor said on Radio 4 that people had been warning since August that Yoon might attack democracy.​

 

[Bingoman]

According to reports the military to maintain martial law

 

[littlebabyjesus]

SK has a conscript army. Next stage is for the conscripts to refuse to comply.

 

[JimW]

It's been the Defence Ministry saying it's still martial law until president says otherwise, apparently. Chancing it if the rundown on the constitution I read was accurate.

 

[JimW]

Time for the workers' and soldiers' soviets.

 

[Ax^]

trump currently pissed off south Korea beat him to declaring martial law

 

[planetgeli]

Obviously I don't know how the SK constitution works but the military not lifting martial law seems to chime with what the constitution requires, i.e it can be lifted by a vote but the President still has to ratify this.

The military withdrawing so quickly suggests they aren't exactly into enforcement of martial law and can claim to be following the constitution.

Yoon may well be on a plane to Los Angeles already.

 

[JimW]

Hawaii was where Syngman Rhee ended up, maybe the state still has a place there?

 

[JimW]

It's always someone like the "People Power Party" who turn to martial law.

 

[two sheds]

Truss, on the other hand, is kicking herself for not thinking of it first.

The thought occurred to me half a second before you said it. I think it may have been the "... can't last long? Is this really as stupid as it looks or are we missing something? in the post before

 

[legz]

My daughter's been living and studying in Seoul for the last 3 years .....

She collared me earlier ..... "Is there anything on UK news about South Korea right now, as apparently we've got martial law and nobody near me knows fck all about it?" ..... this was around the time that the news was just breaking here

A couple of hours on and she's still asking what BBC and Sky are saying about it, even though its deep into the night there

 

[cupid_stunt]

It's always someone like the "People Power Party" who turn to martial law.

But, that's the thing, 'the party' didn't turn to martial law, the leaders spoke out against the president and condemned his move.

 

[JimW]

But, that's the thing, 'the party' didn't turn to martial law, the leaders spoke out against the president and condemned his move.

That is a good point. Damn your eyes.

 

[emanymton]

Apparently the vote in parliament was 190 to 0?

 

[Ax^]

Apparently the vote in parliament was 190 to 0?

quite some image

 

[The39thStep]

The FT , or rather the source they quote, seems to have a reasonable point

 

[cupid_stunt]

Apparently the vote in parliament was 190 to 0?

Yes, only 190 out of, IIRC, 300 were in the chamber.

But considering the majority party, and the president's own opposition party, are against martial law being imposed, one assumes if all the MPs were there, they would all have voted against it.

 

[JimW]

Apparently the vote in parliament was 190 to 0?

Only the opposition and allies present, you'd guess. Makes a majority even with absences though.

 

[_Russ_]

Will they shoot him?

 

[JimW]

His best tactic is to declare a national day of mourning, then a bank holiday, then the restoration of the monarchy all in quick succession, will keep the opposition on the back foot.

 

[SpookyFrank]

quite some image

They did a pie chart, for those struggling to keep up. Superb bit of comedy.

 

[Elpenor]

Should think there'll be people on the streets soon enough, took long enough to get a semblance of democracy and can't see Koreans letting it go with a whimper.

It wasn’t so long ago that people on the streets basically got rid of Park Gun Hye (corrupt daughter of dictator)

As said up thread the country is very right wing, with living memory of authoritarianism. Bigger problems are sexism, inequality and the declining birth rate. Miserable country to live in based on my visits, though admit I’m biased

 

[Cid]

According to Wikipedia:

“In October 2021, Yoon made complimentary remarks about former authoritarian military dictator of South Korea Chun Doo-hwan.”

“On 20 March 2022, he announced that he would establish his presidential office in the Ministry of National Defense building in Yongsan District, Seoul, instead of the Blue House. . .”

“Yoon has appointed people affiliated with the controversial South Korean New Right movement to prominent positions in government and public life. According to a report by Kyunghyang Shinmun, at least 21 New Right figures were holding 25 key positions in eight public institutions and committees related to Korean history under the Yoon's administration.”

A protestor said on Radio 4 that people had been warning since August that Yoon might attack democracy.​

Yeah I had another chat with Korean friend, and she mentioned those rumours... everyone thought it was kind of absurd at the time though. Currently there is still all-round bafflement, but the military leadership is aligned with Yoon. It's kind of whether the rest of the army is. And how the fuck this can possibly play out with the US etc. It is absurd. My friend is mainly extremely embarrassed.

 

[JimW]

Perhaps Starmer could try it here over the MasterChef scandal. Wallace and BBC execs interned at Wembley, that sort of thing.

 

[TopCat]

I expect this from North Korea but not from the south?

Why

 

[cupid_stunt]

Why

Because.