Connecting Dots | Public outrage: Yoon faces backlash for declaring martial law without grounds
At 4:27 a.m. local time on December 4, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol announced the revocation of the emergency martial law order following a request from the National Assembly. This decision came just over six hours after Yoon declared the implementation of martial law at 10:25 p.m. on December 3.
On the same day, a DotDotNews reporter interviewed South Koreans and international travelers at the Hong Kong International Airport to gather their reactions to the dramatic turn of events.
South Korean passenger Ms. Shin expressed frustration during an interview at the Hong Kong International Airport, exclaiming, "Yoon is crazy!" She accused the President of abusing his power and losing public support, adding that she personally supports the opposition party. However, she also noted that the situation had calmed down, and she was not overly concerned about safety in Korea.
A 37-year-old Korean designer, Hon, shared her growing distrust, saying Koreans "could not sleep all night" and that "everyone wants the President to step down." Describing Yoon and his wife as "terrible," she voiced her support for opposition leader Lee Jae-myung while noting rumors that Yoon is allegedly under the influence of a shaman.
Most international travelers and Hong Kong residents heading to Korea expressed limited awareness of the martial law incident, with some believing that Korea remains safe. Some Korean students were reluctant to comment, brushing off the event with remarks like, "It doesn't matter."
At 10:00 a.m. on December 4, a flight from Hong Kong to South Korea was delayed by an hour. A Hong Kong couple traveling through Korea voiced concerns about whether they would successfully make their connecting flight.
Notably, passengers traveling to South Korea faced stricter-than-usual security checks during check-in, requiring additional documentation compared to regular procedures.
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