North Korea reports South Korea's martial law crisis for first time

SEOUL: In a first, North Korean state media has reported on South Korea's ongoing political turmoil for the first time in the aftermath of President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law stint.

After a week-long silence, North Korea's KCNA, published an article on what it described as growing "social unrest" in the South due to the martial law crisis.

Last week's shocking martial law order triggered concerns about a power vacuum and plunged Asia's fourth-largest economy and a key United States ally into a constitutional crisis, sending shockwaves through diplomatic and economic fronts.

The dispatch did not offer much commentary but largely carried South Korean and international media reports, focusing on a series of protests joined by more than a million people calling for Yoon's impeachment.

"The puppet Yoon Suk Yeol, who had already faced a serious crisis of governance and impeachment, declared martial law unexpectedly and unleashed the guns of the fascist dictatorship on the people," said the KCNA.

"His insane act, reminiscent of the coup during the military dictatorship decades ago, has drawn strong condemnation from all walks of life, including the opposition party, and further explored the public's fervour for impeachment," added the state news agency.

Police raid president's office

Separately, South Korean police raided President Yoon Suk Yeol's office on Wednesday amid a widening investigation into the martial law fiasco.

The raid was confirmed to Reuters by a presidential security service official. Police declined to immediately comment.

The president — who was absent during the police raid — is currently the subject of a criminal investigation into insurrection allegations and is banned from leaving the country, but he has not been arrested or questioned by authorities.

Meanwhile, the defence minister at the time, Kim Yong-hyun, a close confidant of Yoon, attempted suicide at a detention centre where he is being held following his arrest on Sunday, a Justice Ministry official told parliament.

He was now under observation and his life was not currently in danger, the official added.

Kim has resigned and apologised for his part in the short-lived imposition of emergency rule, saying he alone was responsible.