Seoul: President Lee Jae Myung will deliver a special address later this week to mark the first anniversary of former President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief imposition of martial law, highlighting the public's role in restoring South Korea's democracy, the presidential office said Sunday. Lee Kyu-yeon, the presidential secretary for communication and public relations, announced that the address, scheduled for Wednesday, will emphasize "the people's efforts in transforming a moment of extreme chaos into peace" through their rallies.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the address will be followed by a press conference with about 80 foreign journalists under the theme "A Renewed Democracy: One Year On." President Lee aims to reaffirm the restoration of Korea's democracy to the international community and deliver a message of national unity, as conveyed by the presidential secretary.
In addition to the address and press conference, President Lee will host a luncheon with five key figures from the three branches of government. The attendees will include National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae, Constitutional Court Chief Kim Sang-hwan, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, and National Election Commission Chair Roh Tae-ak. This gathering will serve as an opportunity to reflect on the implications of the martial law and discuss future tasks.
The martial law was declared on the night of December 3 last year by former President Yoon in a live address from the presidential office. Yoon claimed the opposition party was paralyzing state affairs and argued that emergency measures were necessary to root out pro-North Korea forces and defend the constitutional order. The declaration led to thousands of citizens taking to the streets with K-pop glow sticks, as armed troops moved to seal off the National Assembly, challenging the nation's hard-won democracy.
A year after the crisis, South Korea has managed to restore political order and return to normalcy, standing as a notable example of democratic resilience despite the deep social divisions revealed by the events of last year.