Father's call with soldier son amid martial law resonates widely

Armed military forces enter the main building of the National Assembly in Seoul, Wednesday, following President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law. Yonhap

A phone conversation between a father and his soldier son, recorded on the day President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, has moved many after being shared online. The father revealed he recorded the call, fearing it might be their last.

Several online communities shared posts titled: "Phone call between a soldier and his father on the day of martial law" on Friday. These posts included an audio file of a father speaking with his son serving in the military.

The audio, originally posted by the father on social media on Wednesday, gained traction after being featured on the YouTube channel Kim Eo-jun’s News Factory.

According to the father, he called his son multiple times on Tuesday night, shortly after the martial law declaration. After not answering for about an hour, his son called back around midnight.

When the father asked, "Have deployment orders been issued? What's going on?" His son replied, "I got an emergency call about 10 minutes ago. I've been ordered to report to the base, so I'm on my way."

At the time, the son had been sleeping in his dormitory and was heading to his base, unaware of the details. When his father asked if he knew why the orders had been given, the soldier son responded, "What’s happening? I just woke up."

The father then explained, “Martial law was declared. Listen carefully — it’s not a provocation from North Korea. The president just decided to declare it.”

He urged his son to prioritize his safety and refrain from harming civilians, his voice trembling with emotion. "Your life comes first." Choking back tears, the father told his son, “Protect your squad members and, above all, your own life. You know how terrifying the military can be during martial law. No matter what, don’t harm civilians.”

He repeated his plea, emphasizing, “Your life is the most important thing. Never engage in actions that hurt civilians.”

Troops blocking the National Assembly were surrounded by citizens, Wednesday, as the National Assembly passed a resolution demanding the lifting of President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

'A father’s voice of desperation'

The heartfelt exchange resonated widely, with many moved by the father’s trembling voice and deep concern. Online comments included, “I cried hearing the father’s shaky voice,” “As a parent, this conversation brought me to tears,” and “The pain and worry of both the father and the soldier are heartbreaking.”

The soldier, a platoon leader stationed at a forward unit, was not deployed during the martial law declaration. However, his father, recalling the deployment of the 9th Infantry Division during the 1979 martial law, feared his son’s unit might be called in and repeatedly tried to reach him.

The father told the Hankook Ilbo, “Martial law was declared, and my son wasn’t answering, so I panicked. During the 1979 martial law, forward units were deployed. You can’t feel safe just because he’s stationed at the front.”

Believing it could be their final conversation, the father decided to record the call. “During martial law, anything can happen. There’s always a chance he might be issued live ammunition and sent out. I wanted to preserve his voice, thinking it might be my last opportunity,” he said.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.