WASHINGTON — The United States says it is closely monitoring the rapidly evolving situation in South Korea, where President Yoon Suk Yeol declared emergency martial law, citing the need to protect the nation from North Korea’s communist forces and to eliminate anti-state elements.

Taken by surprise, U.S. officials are actively engaging with the South Korean government to address the situation.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said on Tuesday that the U.S. is watching developments in South Korea “with grave concern” and expressed every hope and expectation that “any political disputes will be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law.”

President Joe Biden, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have been briefed on the developments and are being kept updated as the situation unfolds, according to Campbell.

He added that U.S. officials are actively engaging with their South Korean counterparts at all levels, in Washington and Seoul.

Late Tuesday, Yoon declared martial law during an unannounced late-night address, vowing to eliminate what he described as “anti-state” forces amid a power struggle with the opposition-controlled parliament, which he accuses of sympathizing with communist North Korea.

Within hours, the National Assembly voted to overturn the declaration. Speaker Woo Won Shik announced that lawmakers “will protect democracy with the people” and called for the immediate withdrawal of police and military forces from the Assembly grounds.

Some information in this report came from Reuters and The Associated Press.
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