U.S. Reacts Strongly to South Korea’s Martial Law, Calls It ‘Illegitimate’ and ‘Badly Misjudged’

Kurt Campbell, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, sharply criticized South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s recent attempt to declare a state of emergency, calling it “badly misjudged.” He added, ” And I think the memory of previous experiences of martial law have a deep and negative resonance in South Korea.”

During a forum in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Campbell discussed the situation in South Korea, highlighting that President Yoon’s decision had raised widespread concerns. He noted that people were ready to step forward and declare the process “deeply problematic” and “illegitimate.” Campbell expressed that there should be some reassurance in the willingness of people to speak out against it.

The emergency martial law lasted just over six hours but has drawn criticism from both domestic and international observers. Campbell’s strong language during the forum reflects the gravity of the situation. While Campbell’s use of the term “illegitimate” may not explicitly reveal his judgment, it can be interpreted as expressing a negative view of the emergency declaration through indirect language.

As a key official at the U.S. State Department, Campbell has consistently maintained a friendly stance toward South Korea. When President-elect Donald Trump called for a “renegotiation of defense costs,” Campbell countered by asserting that South Korea is already contributing sufficiently to defense costs.

There is growing interest in the fact that a relatively South Korea-friendly U.S. State Department official has criticized the South Korean administration’s actions regarding the emergency declaration in such strong terms.

Notably, Campbell indirectly acknowledged that the U.S. was not aware of the emergency declaration in advance.

Campbell mentioned that all of their contacts in the South Korean government were also “deeply surprised” by the developments.