South Korea’s Martial Law Sparks Domestic Dispute, Taiwan Closely Monitors Situation.

Taipei: Taiwan's intelligence chief revealed on Wednesday that South Korea's brief imposition of martial law was the outcome of a domestic political conflict, prompting Taiwan to observe the situation for any potential long-term effects on the region. National Security Bureau (NSB) Director-General Tsai Ming-yen addressed reporters during a legislative session, stating that his agency is consistently updating President Lai Ching-te, who is currently visiting the South Pacific, on the incident. According to Focus Taiwan, President Lai has directed the NSB to keep a vigilant watch on developments in South Korea. Tsai mentioned that the agency is assessing whether the situation might influence South Korea's domestic politics or the security dynamics on the Korean Peninsula and the broader region. They are also monitoring if the incident could lead to domestic instability affecting social order and Taiwanese nationals residing in or visiting South Korea. Early Wednesday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol res cinded the martial law order, merely six hours after its abrupt imposition, which had thrown Seoul into political turmoil and incited significant backlash, as reported by media sources. President Yoon's late-night announcement accused the main opposition party of pro-North Korean sympathies and anti-state activities, citing the Democratic Party's efforts to impeach top prosecutors and reject a government budget as reasons for the martial law declaration. This marked the first martial law declaration by a South Korean president since 1980 during a nationwide student and labor union uprising. South Korean parliamentarians acted swiftly to nullify the decree, with an overwhelming majority of 190 out of 300 members voting against it. Meanwhile, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Wednesday advised Taiwanese citizens in South Korea to steer clear of political gatherings and protests for safety reasons. MOFA stated that it would maintain its lowest-level gray alert for South Korea, subject to change ba sed on new developments. In emergencies, Taiwanese nationals in South Korea are urged to contact MOFA's offices in Seoul or Busan. MOFA operates a four-tiered travel advisory system, with gray indicating caution, yellow suggesting reconsideration of travel, orange advising against unnecessary travel, and red indicating a travel ban.