South Korea

Martial law, which was declared by South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Tuesday night, lasted six hours. South Koreans have been in the streets ever since, demanding the President's resignation or impeachment. EUROPEUM Institute Associate Research Fellow Tereza Novotná commented on the situation for iRozhlas.cz.

The South Korean President defended the declaration of martial law as a protection of democracy. How can this argument be perceived? Tereza Novotná, Associate Research Fellow at EUROPEUM Institute, commented for Radio Prostor.

South Korean president Yun Sok-jol unexpectedly declared martial law and sent troops into parliament. The institution then rejected martial law, as did members of the president's party. South Korea's head of state declared martial law amid a dispute over the national budget. The President made the surprise announcement in a televised speech. In the speech, he accused the opposition of sympathizing with North Korea and paralyzing the government with anti-state activities. Tereza Novotná, Research Associate at EUROPEUM Institute, commented for Tagesschau.

South Korean MPs vote unanimously against martial law. Demonstrators and parliamentary assistants clash at the entrances to the National Assembly, which has united against South Korean President Jun Sok-jool's surprise overnight decision to declare martial law for the first time since 1980.

Approximately ten thousand North Korean soldiers are training in eastern Russia, the US Pentagon says. Initially, the White House spoke of only three thousand. South Korea's intelligence services fear their northern neighbour could send them to the Ukrainian front. To what extent could they intervene in the war in Ukraine? Tereza Novotná, associate research fellow of EUROPEUM Institute, commented for Slovakian Radio STVR.

North Korea threatens its neighbour with a "terrible catastrophe", blows up roads leading to South Korea and engages in international politics. According to EUROPEUM Institute's North Korea expert Tereza Novotná, it is no coincidence that the isolated state led by leader Kim Jong-un is currently making so many headlines. She explains the possible motives behind this to Web.de.

KLDR has closed all roads connecting the country with South Korea. It accuses it of escalating tensions and has officially designated it as an enemy state. South Korea, on the other hand, warns the KLDR against reckless steps that could lead to the end of its authoritarian regime. Tereza Novotná, associate fellow of EUROPEUM Institute, commented for Slovakian Radio STVR.

Tereza Novotná, an associate research fellow at our Institute, wrote an article for Korea on Time, where she argues, that from a security perspective, the EU-South Korea partnership has been marked by three key topics: the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, North Korea, and US-China strategic competition. It would be a smart choice for Yoon’s team to continue and expand on the New Southern Policy rather than trying to come up with a new framework. In the end, it will be neither Eastern Europe nor North Korea but the Indo-Pacific which will hold the key to the future of the EU-Korea partnership.

Our research fellow Tereza Novotná is the author of an article published within the 9DASHLINE platform, which deals with the topic of North and South Korea and their future relationship and ties with the EU.