Kurt Campbell, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, commented on December 4th (local time) regarding President Yoon Suk-yeol’s proclamation and subsequent lifting of martial law in South Korea just six hours later, stating, “President Yoon made a badly misjudged decision.”
According to the Straits Times, Campbell spoke at the ‘Aspen Security Forum (ASF)’ hosted by the Aspen Institute, a diplomatic and security think tank in Washington, D.C. He remarked, “I believe the memories of past experiences with martial law evoke deep and negative reactions.”
Campbell further noted, “South Korea will face challenging situations in the coming months. Our goal is to ensure the U.S.-Korea alliance is absolutely steadfast and make it clear that we stand with Korea. But it’s crucial for Korea to have the confidence to resolve this issue using its own means and methods.”
He added, “The fact that despite political polarization, South Korea could agree on the (lifting of martial law) action provides reassurance that Korean democracy is strong. It strongly symbolizes readiness to clarify that this is a very unlawful process and will be carried out according to public will.”
Campbell mentioned that he was not informed by South Korea prior to the declaration of martial law. He stated, “Many key figures working in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, and the Presidential Office were deeply shocked by President Yoon’s moves.”