Officials from the White House, Pentagon and State Department all said they were in close contact with their South Korean counterparts as they assessed the situation.
After being caught off guard by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s decision to impose martial law, the Biden administration declined to condemn the move as it struggled to explain the close U.S. ally’s rare but dramatic episode of political turmoil.
Officials from the White House, Pentagon and State Department all said they were in close contact with their South Korean counterparts on Tuesday as they tried to assess the situation. President Joe Biden, who is currently traveling in Angola, also said he was “just getting briefed” on developments after wrapping up an address.
Earlier on Tuesday, Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said the administration was watching developments unfold in South Korea with “grave concern.” But Campbell and other officials across Washington also underscored what they said was an “ironclad” partnership between the United States and South Korea.
Despite the close alliance, both the White House and State Department said the U.S. was not given advanced notice of Yoon’s intention to impose martial law. U.S. officials did not publicly denounce Yoon’s decision but also did not endorse his allegations that South Korea’s opposition party was involved in “anti-state” activities with North Korea — Yoon’s stated reason for temporarily suspending civilian rule.
