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Declaration of martial law in South Korea

South Korean admiral urges army neutrality amid political crisis

Kim Myung-soo emphasized that priority should be given to protecting the country and citizens’ lives, as well as maintaining the defense capabilities of the alliance between the Republic of Korea and the United States

SEOUL, December 12. /TASS/. The armed forces of the Republic of Korea (ROK) must maintain political neutrality amid the ongoing conflict between the president and the parliament, said Kim Myung-soo, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

"Chairman [of South Korea’s JCS] Kim Myung-soo emphasized that priority should be given to protecting the country and citizens’ lives, as well as maintaining the defense capabilities of the alliance between the Republic of Korea and the United States," the JCS said on its website. "He instructed the military to focus on their duties while staying politically neutral," the JCS added.

On December 3, South Korean Army General Park Ahn-soo, not Kim Myung-soo, was appointed martial law commander. The South Korean media reported, citing sources, that before martial law was imposed, the JCS chief and the country’s Defense Minister Kim Jong-hyun clashed over instructions from the defense chief to open warning fire and then strike sites from where North Korea had launched trash balloons. Kim Myung-soo disobeyed. South Korean opposition lawmakers argued that this might be how a pretext for declaring martial law was being prepared. The defense ministry dismissed allegations of receiving such instructions at all.

Earlier, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol had promised not to declare a martial emergency again, while the acting defense minister said he would not follow such an order even if he received one. On Thursday, the president actually refused to step down, even though he had said previously that he entrusts the responsibility for deciding his term to his party.

The president survived an impeachment vote on December 7 after the ruling party boycotted the move. A new vote is expected on Saturday.

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