South Korea's president declares martial law against the opposition

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on Tuesday, accusing the opposition of “anti-state” action.

In an unannounced speech broadcast live on YTN last night, Yoon said he had no choice but to take drastic measures to protect South Korea's freedom and constitution. He went on to say that the opposition parties have taken control of the parliament and are putting the country in trouble.

“I declare martial law to protect the free Republic of Korea from the threat of the North Korean Communist forces, to eliminate the anti-national forces of North Korea that are robbing the freedom and happiness of our people, and to protect the free constitution. order,” said Yoon.

The White House was not quick to condemn Yoon's actions.

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“The administration is in contact with the government of the Republic of Korea and is closely monitoring the situation,” a National Security Council spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

Yoon did not say in the address what steps will be taken. Yonha news agency reported that the door of the Parliament was closed. The agency also quoted the military as saying that the activities of parliament and political parties would be closed, and the media and publishers would be controlled by military rule, Reuters reported.

“Tanks, armored personnel carriers, and soldiers with guns and knives will rule the country,” opposition leader Lee Jae-myung said live on the Internet. “The economy of the Republic of Korea will collapse irreparably. My people, please come to the National Assembly.”

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Police fight with people trying to enter the National Assembly in front of the main gate of the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea on December 3, 2024, after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared emergency martial law. (JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images)

The liberal Democratic Party has controlled South Korea's unicameral National Assembly since Yoon, a former chief prosecutor, took office in 2022. Those in opposition have repeatedly thwarted Yoon's agenda and the president has low approval ratings.

In his speech, Yoon cited actions by the Democratic Party as justifying martial law, including this week's effort to impeach some of the country's top prosecutors and the National Assembly's rejection of Yoon's proposed budget.

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People watch a TV screen showing a televised press conference by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol at a bus station in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Democratic lawmakers have moved to cut more than 4 billion won in the Yoon administration's budget proposal. Yoon said the budget cuts will undermine the essential performance of government administration.

“Our parliament has become a den of criminals. It has crippled the administrative and legal systems by cooperating with laws (run by opposition parties) and is trying to overthrow our democratic system,” said Yoon in his speech.

Yoon's predecessor, Jae-in of the Democratic Party, wrote in X that the country's democracy is in crisis. “I hope that the National Assembly will be quick to protect our democracy from collapse,” he wrote. “I am asking people to come together to protect and save democracy and help the National Assembly function normally.”

South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung (C) arrives outside the Seoul District Court in Seoul on November 15, 2024. (ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP via Getty Images)

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Yoon suffered a heavy political defeat earlier this year when South Korean voters increased the Democratic Party's majority at the convention. One South Korean political analyst told The Associated Press that the election results made Yoon a “dead duck,” with control of his party at risk following the loss.

The president of South Korea has also been affected by the scandal affecting his wife, first wife Kim Keon Hee. He was allegedly involved in a scheme to manipulate stock prices and the release of spy camera footage showed him accepting a luxury bag from a Korean-American pastor, the AP reported.

Opposition groups in South Korea met on Saturday to demand that Yoon accept a special prosecutor to investigate allegations of fraud against his wife.

In October, North Korean-produced propaganda leaflets attacking Yoon and his wife were found strewn on the streets of Seoul, apparently ballooned over the border, Reuters reported.

Tuesday's declaration is the first time martial law has been imposed in South Korea since 1980.

Fox News Digital's Sarah Tobianski and Reuters contributed to this report. This is a breaking story. Check back for updates.