South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law has plunged diplomatic relations on the Korean Peninsula into a state of paralysis. Foreign and external activities have begun to face disruptions as scheduled diplomatic engagements are canceled one after another. Meanwhile, North Korea, which has consistently called for Yoon’s resignation, has remained unusually silent, further heightening tensions.
On Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Unification confirmed that Foreign Minister Cho Tae Yong and Unification Minister Kim Young Ho, who have submitted their resignations to Prime Minister Han Duck Soo, canceled their external engagements.
Cho Tae Yong canceled his participation in the 2024 Global New Security Forum’s opening ceremony and dinner. Kim Young Ho withdrew from a Friday radio program appearance and a planned welcome speech at the Korean Association of International Studies event. Since Tuesday, most external activities from both ministries have been suspended.
Major international meetings have also been affected, including the Kazakhstan Defense Minister’s visit, the 4th U.S.-South Korea Nuclear Consultative Group meeting, and a planned visit by former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. Adding to the fallout, global safety concerns have prompted several countries to issue travel advisories for South Korea, citing potential risks in light of the political turmoil.
Global safety concerns have prompted several countries to designate South Korea as a travel risk zone. Following the martial law declaration and its subsequent repeal, travel advisories and warnings have been issued, citing potential safety risks.
The U.S. Embassy also warned that even after the martial law was lifted, the situation remained fluid and advised avoiding protest sites and exercising caution around large crowds. This warning led to the cancellation of a planned visit by Dana White, president of UFC and a close ally of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been actively addressing the fallout. It sent official letters to foreign embassies in South Korea to assure them of domestic stability.
In a regular briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lee Jae Woong stated, “On Wednesday, we informed all foreign missions in South Korea about lifting martial law and emphasized that public safety and order remain intact. Additionally, the national credit rating by agencies like S&P remains stable, and there are no unusual developments in North Korea, ensuring a secure security environment.”
“Communication between South Korea and the U.S. continues at all necessary levels,” he added.
North Korea’s Unusual Silence
Contrary to its usual reactions, North Korea has maintained an unusual silence regarding the martial law declaration and related protests demanding Yoon to step down. This is a sharp departure from its past behavior of quickly reporting South Korea’s domestic issues.
Previously, North Korea reported on anti-government protests and declarations in our society nearly every day since November 18.
An example from the past includes the swift reporting by KCNA and Korean Central Television (KCTV) on the Constitutional Court’s decision to uphold the impeachment of President Park Geun Hye in March 2017, which was covered within two hours and 20 minutes. In contrast, when the impeachment of President Roh Moo-hyun was rejected in May 2004, it took two days for the Secretariat of North Korea’s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland to issue a statement, which was broadcast via Korean Central Broadcasting Station (KCBS).
A Unification Ministry official told reporters, “North Korea has observed our dynamic democratic situation multiple times, so they likely recognize that it is not realistically possible for them to intervene in any way.”
While North Korea has yet to respond, analysts warn that Pyongyang may exploit the current situation. Many experts believe that the political instability in South Korea and potential strains in the U.S.-South Korea alliance present an opportunity for North Korea.
CNN reported that leaders in China, North Korea, and Russia are closely observing the situation, with attention focused on North Korea’s potential to exploit South Korea’s political chaos.
Edward Howell, a lecturer at the University of Oxford, wrote in The New York Times that North Korea frequently ridicules South Korea’s democratic system during chaotic periods and could be expected to leverage this crisis, rhetorically or otherwise, to its advantage.
Sydney Seiler, former National Intelligence Council (NIC) officer for North Korea, echoed this concern in an interview with CNN, warning that South Korea should prepare for potential North Korean exploitation of the situation.
Most Commented