The White House on Tuesday said the United States was “relieved” that South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-yeol had reversed course after imposing martial law.
“We are relieved President Yoon has reversed course on his concerning declaration of martial law and respected the ROK National Assembly’s vote to end it,” a National Security Council spokesperson said in a statement, using the acronym for South Korea’s official name.
Yoon abandoned the short-lived attempt at martial law on Wednesday after lawmakers defied security forces to vote against his declaration and thousands of protesters took to the streets.
Earlier, the White House said it had not been notified in advance of the martial law declaration, adding that it was in contact with the government in Seoul and was monitoring the situation “closely”.
“We continue to expect political disagreements to be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the rule law,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters late on Tuesday, adding that the US welcomed Yoon’s decision to lift martial law just hours after he imposed it.
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‘It’s painful’: newest North Korean weapon against the South is blood-curdling noise
‘It’s painful’: newest North Korean weapon against the South is blood-curdling noise
US citizens in South Korea should avoid areas where protests are taking place, the American embassy in Seoul said in a statement on Wednesday after martial law was lifted.
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