Lawmaker says he's '100 percent certain' of second martial law declaration
Rep. Kim Min-seok, a senior member of the Democratic Party of Korea, leaves a closed-door Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly, Wednesday.
Rep. Kim Min-seok, a senior member of the Democratic Party of Korea, who accurately predicted in August the possibility of martial law, has now suggested that President Yoon Suk Yeol may attempt to declare a second state of emergency.
Speaking on CBS Radio's "Kim Hyun-jung's News Show" on Thursday, Kim said he was "100 percent certain" when asked about the possibility of a second martial law declaration.
Kim criticized the recent actions of former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who had previously said that martial law would not be enforced under any circumstances.
"Didn't he say just a few months ago that even if the president ordered it, he wouldn't follow through? But the president's fundamental motivation and authority remain intact," Kim said, suggesting that a desperate leader might resort to even harsher measures to succeed this time.
Following the defense minister's resignation and the appointment of Choi Byung-hyuk as his replacement, Kim interpreted the move as "a temporary retreat."
He likened the situation to the Dec. 12 military coup in 1979, where a semblance of retreat masked the underlying plans of the soldiers who plotted the uprising.
Kim speculated that the earlier attempt at martial law failed due to the public's resistance and what he called the incompetence of the defense minister.
"They might think next time will be different, and they'll focus on taking control of the National Assembly first," he said.
Democratic Party of Korea leader Lee Jae-myung, right, and senior member Kim Min-seok discuss notes summarizing the martial law situation during a plenary session at the National Assembly, Thursday. Yonhap
Sinister motives
Kim said that the ultimate aim behind the president's push for martial law is to protect first lady Kim Keon Hee and himself from legal accountability.
"The anti-state rhetoric is merely an ideological façade," he said. "In reality, it's about preventing Kim Keon Hee from going to jail and shielding himself from prosecution. This is their strongest survival instinct."
During another interview on KBS Radio's "Special Current Affairs," Kim elaborated on these claims, arguing that the martial law attempt was tied to the ongoing pressure from investigations into the first lady and testimonies from key witnesses.
"The president still holds martial law as a dangerous weapon," Kim said. "If we fail to establish safeguards, he may deceive the nation again and explore other routes to implement martial law."
Kim emphasized the risks to Korea's democratic system. "President Yoon likely sees himself as acting with legitimate authority," he said. "If we don’t neutralize the claws of this beast, our democracy will once again suffer deep wounds."
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.