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SEOUL (Sputnik) – South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Tuesday called on political leaders and civil society to make efforts to stabilize the country and unite the nation after the failed attempt to impose martial law.
The prime minister held the first cabinet meeting after President Yoon Suk-yeol’s short-lived declaration of martial law.
«The government will dedicate all its efforts to ensuring the early stabilization of state affairs, solely in accordance with the will of the people,» Han was quoted by South Korean news agency Yonhap as telling the cabinet.
The prime minister also urged officials to perform their duties with an «extraordinary sense of resolve.»
On December 3, Yoon declared martial law, claiming that the opposition was sympathizing with North Korea and plotting a «rebellion.» The parliament defied the presidential declaration and voted to lift the martial law. The office of the speaker of the parliament, Woo Won-shik, said that the president’s declaration of martial law was invalid following the lawmakers’ vote. Shortly after, Yoon lifted the martial law and apologized to the nation. The president was later banned from leaving the country amid an investigation into the botched martial law, while former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun was arrested as part of a probe into a potential treason case.
