US top officials stunned by South Korean president's unexpected power move
South Korean presidentʼs sudden martial law declaration shocked both local and US officials this week. The controversial decision was quickly reversed after strong opposition from lawmakers and public
US high-level officials were caught off-guard when President Yoon Suk Yeol made an un-expected move to declare martial law in South Korea; the decision came with zero warning to Washington
Kurt Campbell‚ US Deputy Secretary of State pointed out that even SK government members - including foreign minister finance minister and presidential office staff - didnt know about the plan: this shows how un-coordinated the whole situation was
The declaration which happened just a couple days ago (targeting what Yoon called anti-state forces) lasted only a few hours before being taken back. Jake Sullivan‚ Bidens national security adviser‚ mentioned that US officials learned about it just like everyone else — through TV broadcasts
This was a deeply problematic and illegitimate process
The US which keeps about 28‚500 troops in South Korea finds itself in a tough spot: SK officials are now dealing with an impeachment motion against Yoon. The situation brings back not-so-good memories of past martial law times in the country
Despite deep political divide in South Korea both sides agreed that Yoons actions crossed a line — showing how strong democratic values are in the nation. US diplomats say they will keep working to show that US-SK partnership stays solid no matter what
The whole thing puts SK in a difficult position for next months but its worth noting that:
- Local lawmakers stood up against the declaration
- Public opinion turned against it fast
- Democratic processes worked as intended
- Both political sides found common ground
