North Korea reported on Monday, two days after the impeachment motion against South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was passed.
The Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Workers’ Party of Korea, stated, “In the puppet South Korea, the impeachment motion against Yoon Suk Yeol was passed on Saturday, and the president’s powers have been suspended.”
The report also covered the events leading up to the impeachment, mentioning that the vote on December 7 was disrupted due to a collective walkout by ruling party lawmakers. The newspaper noted that citizens gathered around the National Assembly in protest.
The article continued, “Despite Yoon Suk Yeol staging a fraudulent press conference on Thursday filled with lies and distortions, it only triggered greater backlash and anger from the political and public sectors. The momentum for impeachment has intensified across Seoul and other regions of the country, further deepening divisions within the ruling party.”
The report also provided relatively detailed coverage of the ongoing investigations surrounding the martial law incident. It stated, “Following the arrests of the puppet Minister of National Defense, the National Police Commissioner, and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Commissioner, investigations have expanded. The puppet Army Chief of Staff, appointed as martial law commander, the Chief of the Military Counterintelligence Command, the Special Warfare Commander, and the Intelligence Commander have all been suspended. Additionally, the Capital Defense Commander has been arrested. The investigation into Yoon Suk Yeol, the head of the treasonous conspiracy, and his accomplices is intensifying.”
North Korea has historically adopted varying responses to South Korea’s political events, but analysts note that it has been notably cautious and delayed in addressing the December 3 martial law situation.
When former President Park Geun Hye’s impeachment motion was passed in 2016, North Korea reported the event just four hours later through its propaganda outlet, Uriminzokkiri. Similarly, when the Constitutional Court upheld Park’s impeachment in 2017, the news was relayed within two hours and 20 minutes.
However, in the 2004 impeachment case of former President Roh Moo Hyun, North Korea refrained from commenting until after the Constitutional Court dismissed the motion.
Regarding the current martial law situation, North Korea took eight days following the declaration and subsequent lifting of martial law to issue its first report. Analysts interpret this delayed response as a strategic move. With North Korea having declared a severance of relations under the guise of “inter-state relations between the two Koreas,” it appears cautious not to make premature statements on South Korea’s domestic affairs. Instead, North Korea seems to be monitoring developments closely to leverage the situation as an opportunity to stoke anti-South sentiment and reinforce internal propaganda.