We condemn the recent actions of South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol implementing the now-lifted martial law. We affirm our support for the people of South Korea in their resistance to authoritarianism and join them in calling for Yoon’s resignation or impeachment.
On 11pm Dec 3rd (local time), South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol decreed unconstitutional martial law on baseless claims that his political opponents are scheming against the country.
The decree of martial law is a devastating blow to democracy that suspends all political activities, suppresses the free exercise of the press, and allows the military to arbitrarily arrest and imprison its citizens.
This is a blatant display of an undemocratic and unjustifiable exercise of power, and sets a dangerous precedent that we must never allow abroad or at home.
We affirm the South Korean people and trade unions who immediately mobilized against the martial law decree. We support their calls for the resignation or impeachment of the president.
We stand with our Seattle members who have family in South Korea that deserve to live their lives free from arbitrary arrest and suspension of hard-earned democratic order.