At an extraordinary parliamentary session on Wednesday, 190 out of 300 deputies approved the proposal to abolish martial law, which was surprisingly announced by President Jun.
South Korean military officials said Wednesday night local time that it would remain in effect until the head of state revoked it. The military said this despite parliament declaring the declaration of martial law invalid. TASR reports according to the AFP agency, which refers to YTN television and local media.
South Korean opposition leader Lee Chae-myung declared that anyone who continues to act on President Jun’s orders and enforce martial law regulations is breaking the law, as the parliament declared the declaration of martial law invalid.
The president’s surprising announcement came at a time when his party and the opposition, which has a majority in parliament, cannot agree on next year’s budget. The opposition MPs are demanding a significant reduction in expenses, which the president described as a threat to the basic functioning of the state administration.
The president’s decision to declare martial law was criticized by the opposition, including several members of his own People’s Power (PPP) party, including party chairman Han Tong-hun. According to information from the Jonhap agency, the PPP called on the president to officially cancel the declaration of martial law.
