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Minjoo Party leader Choo Mi-ae

Opposition Minjoo Party leader Choo Mi-ae suggested on Nov. 18 that President Park Geun-hye may declare martial law in response to recent protests seeking her resignation.

“The President appears to have decided to fight the public. There has even been talk about her preparing to ultimately declare martial law,” Choo said at a party supreme council meeting that day. Her claim is that Park’s decision to ignore the public’s demands to face immediate questioning by prosecutors in favor of continuing to wield personnel authority and ordering prosecutors to investigate politicians in connection with recent corruption allegations surrounding Busan’s LCT tower suggests she may be eying other “means of last resort.”

The context of Choo’s remarks appears to have been concern that planned counter-demonstrations on Nov. 19 by conservative groups like the Association of People Who Love Park Geun-hye (Parksamo) and Korea Freedom Federation could provoke candlelight rally participants and disrupt the event’s peaceful atmosphere.

“We must stick to peaceful, law-abiding protest tactics until we have ten million, thirty million people out there holding candles,” Choo said.

“There needs to be an immediate investigation into the conspiracy by Parksamo, which is already preparing openly for violence,” she added.

But at least one key party official expressed dismay over Choo’s remarks.

“I’m sure it was her intention as a political leader to warn against a worst-case scenario, but her remarks could needlessly increase the public’s concerns,” the official said.

Both the Blue House and ruling Saenuri Party attacked Choo for her “inappropriate remarks.”

“Such political demagoguery is much too irresponsible to be made by a responsible leader of the largest opposition party,” said Blue House spokesperson Jung Youn-kuk.

“We strongly urge everyone to refrain from making comments instigating further confusion,” he added.

In a Facebook post, Saenuri Party floor leader Chung Jin-suk noted the text of Article 77-5 of the Constitution, which states, “When the National Assembly requests the lifting of martial law with the concurrent vote of a majority of the total members of the National Assembly, the President shall comply.”

“When the ruling party has the minority and the opposition the majority [in parliament], authority for lifting martial laws lies with Rep. Choo. She should trust in our Constitution rather than worrying needlessly,” Chung wrote.

By Lee Se-young and Seok Jin-hwan, staff reporters

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