The United States did not know about South Korea’s president’s decision to declare martial law, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday. President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law to stop political opponents, but he quickly reversed the decision after lawmakers disagreed with him.
Speaking from Brussels, Blinken emphasized that it was important for South Korea to handle political disputes peacefully and according to the law. He called South Korea’s democracy one of the strongest in the world.
Blinken said the U.S. was not informed about the martial law declaration before it happened, and added that the U.S. is not told about every decision other countries make. U.S. officials first learned about the decision from the news, just like the rest of the world.
Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, expressed concern about the announcement. He said the situation raised alarms, but events showed that South Korea’s democracy was strong, with the country’s parliament rejecting the martial law in a vote.
While Blinken did not comment on whether the martial law decision was right or wrong, he said it’s important for South Korea to follow its constitution and the rule of law.