Political crisis in S. Korea worsens as N. Korea breaks silence on situation

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Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Michael Edwards (Video Editor)

North Korea, well known for its long history of suppression of free speech and abuse of human rights, broke it silence on Wednesday, Dec. 11, over President Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived declaration of martial law last week. North Korean state media KCNA called the move an “insane act, reminiscent of the coup during the military dictatorship decades ago.”

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The North Korean outlet also focused on a series of protests by tens of thousands of people demanding Yoon’s impeachment, which lawmakers reportedly tried and failed to do over on Saturday, Dec. 7.

Foreign policy experts told NBC News North Korea’s criticism is in line with its history of exploiting civil unrest in South Korea, but they said it’s unlikely the nuclear-armed Pyongyang can take advantage of the political chaos, considering some of its most elite forces are currently fighting for Russia in Ukraine.

Seoul’s political crisis continued to spiral this week. CNN reported South Korean police raided the presidential office on Wednesday, as the probe of Yoon’s martial law declaration widens.

Additionally, the former South Korean defense minister reportedly tried to commit suicide while in police custody. South Korean officials said he has now been moved to an isolation room and has no health issues.

During the martial law declaration, South Korean security forces reportedly broke windows and doors at the National Assembly in an attempt to stop lawmakers from gathering.

Before resigning, the former defense minister took responsibility for the military’s actions.

“All troops who performed duties related to martial law were acting on my instructions,” he said.

Tags: Free Speech, Geopolitics, Human Rights, Kim Jong Un, Military Defense, North Korea, Press Freedom, Protests, Pyongyang, South Korea, South Korean Military, Yoon Suk Yeol

[KARAH RUCKER]

NORTH KOREA, WELL KNOWN FOR ITS LONG-HISTORY OF SUPPRESSION OF FREE SPEECH AND ABUSE OF HUMAN RIGHTS, ON WEDNESDAY ATTACKED SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT YOON SUK YEOL’S SHORT-LIVED DECLARATION OF MARTIAL LAW LAST WEEK.

NORTH KOREAN STATE MEDIA K-C-N-A CALLING YOON MOVE AN “INSANE ACT, REMINISCENT OF THE COUP DURING THE MILITARY DICTATORSHIP DECADES AGO.”

THE NORTH KOREAN OUTLET ALSO FOCUSED ON A SERIES OF PROTESTS BY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DEMANDING YOON’S IMPEACHMENT, WHICH LAWMAKERS TRIED AND FAILED TO DO OVER THE WEEKEND.

FOREIGN POLICY EXPERTS TELL N-B-C THE NORTH’S CRITICISM IS IN LINE WITH ITS HISTORY OF EXPLOITING CIVIL UNREST IN THE SOUTH. BUT THEY SAY, IT’S UNLIKELY THE NUCLEAR-ARMED PYONGYANG CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE POLITICAL CHAOS CONSIDERING SOME OF ITS MOST ELITE FORCES ARE CURRENTLY FIGHTING FOR RUSSIA IN UKRAINE.

PLUS, KIM JONG UN’S FOCUS CURRENTLY LIES ELSEWHERE FOLLOWING THE OVERTHROW OF HIS ALLYBASHAR ASSAD IN SYRIA.

SEOUL’S POLITICAL CRISIS CONTINUED TO SPIRAL THIS WEEK.

CNN REPORTING SOUTH KOREAN POLICE RAIDED THE PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE WEDNESDAY, AS THE PROBE OF YOON’S MARTIAL LAW DECLARATION GROWS.

AND THE FORMER SOUTH KOREAN DEFENSE MINISTER REPORTEDLY TRIED TO TAKE HIS OWN LIFE WHILE IN POLICE CUSTODY.

SOUTH KOREAN OFFICIALS SAY HE’S NOW BEEN MOVED TO AN ISOLATION ROOM.

DURING THE MARTIAL LAW DECLARATION SOUTH KOREAN SECURITY FORCES REPORTEDLY BROKE WINDOWS AND DOORS AT THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP LAWMAKERS FROM GATHERING.

BEFORE RESIGNING THE FORMER DEFENSE MINISTER TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MILITARY’S ACTIONS, SAYING “ALL TROOPS WHO PERFORMED DUTIES RELATED TO MARTIAL LAW WERE ACTING ON MY INSTRUCTIONS.”

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M KARAH RUCKER.