Seoul, 3 December 2024 (dpa/MIA) - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on Tuesday.

In a speech broadcast live on television he accused the country's opposition of sympathizing with North Korea.

The declared state of emergency aims to "eradicate pro-North Korean forces and protect the constitutional order of freedom," said Yoon.

According to the news agency Yonhap, access to the unicameral parliament, the National Assembly in Seoul, is currently blocked.

Additionally, all political activities, including protests and party actions, are banned.

Martial law also restricts the activities of media outlets and publishers.

Details of the allegations made by Yoon were not initially known.

The opposition has sharply criticized the measures. Opposition leader Lee Jae Myung described the declaration of martial law as "unconstitutional" and unfounded, according to a Yonhap report. Tanks and soldiers with rifles would soon control the country, Lee further stated, according to Yonhap.

Criticism also came from within Yoon's own government. The leader of the ruling party, Han Dong Hoon, described the declaration of martial law as "wrong," according to local media reports. He said they would "stop it together with the people."

Yoon has been under domestic political pressure for months. A suspected corruption scandal surrounding his wife has recently further dented his popularity. Additionally, the ruling party is in a bitter fight with the opposition over the budget bill for the coming year.

North Korea, meanwhile, has significantly expanded its missile tests over the past two years and intensified its rhetoric against the United States and South Korea.

Photo: EPA