As South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law was lifted after six hours, attention has turned to North Korea’s response.
As of Wednesday morning, North Korea’s state-run media, Rodong Sinmun, had not reported on Yoon’s declaration of martial law on Tuesday night or its subsequent repeal. Similarly, no unusual activity from the North Korean military was detected by early Wednesday.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) stated at approximately 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday that “no unusual movements have been observed in North Korea so far.”
However, Rodong Sinmun reported on Wednesday that various organizations in South Korea, including Candlelight Action, the People’s Sovereignty Solidarity, the Progressive Alliance, and the University Students Progressive Union, issued statements on Tuesday calling for Yoon’s resignation and the abolition of fascist laws. While the article did not directly mention martial law, it emphasized internal South Korean conflicts to highlight domestic divisions.
On Tuesday night at around 10:30 p.m., President Yoon declared martial law, stating, “I declare martial law to protect the Republic of Korea from the threats posed by North Korea’s communist forces, eradicate shameless pro-North Korea anti-state forces that threaten the freedom and happiness of our people, and uphold the constitutional order of freedom.”
By citing the “threat of North Korea’s communist forces” and “pro-North Korea anti-state forces” as major reasons for declaring martial law, Yoon’s remarks were seen as likely to provoke a reaction from the North.
Nevertheless, it is anticipated that North Korea will focus its propaganda efforts on exploiting the martial law incident to amplify internal South Korean conflicts and sow public discord.
With year-end evaluations approaching, North Korea is also expected to prioritize internal matters and dedicate significant resources to maximizing domestic achievements in the immediate future.
Major international media outlets have criticized the martial law declaration, describing it as a “major political misstep by President Yoon” and predicting that the “failure of martial law will intensify impeachment demands.” North Korea is likely to adopt a similar tone, using the incident to mock South Korea, criticize its government, and promote the superiority of its own regime.
