Array
The White House on Tuesday said the United States was “relieved” after South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol said he would lift martial law just hours after imposing it.
“We are relieved President Yoon has reversed course on his concerning declaration of martial law and respected the ROK National Assembly’s vote to end it,” a National Security Council spokesperson said in a statement, using the acronym for South Korea’s official name.
The White House earlier said it was “seriously concerned” by the developments in South Korea — a key US ally — and was not notified in advance of Yoon’s announcement, in which he accused the opposition of threatening the country’s democracy.
President Joe Biden was briefed on the situation in South Korea during his visit to Angola, where he arrived on Monday for his first trip to sub-Saharan Africa as president.