President Lee to mark first martial law anniversary with speech, press conference, march
Published: 02 Dec. 2025, 14:19
Updated: 03 Dec. 2025, 16:11
![President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Yongsan, central Seoul, on Dec. 2. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/03/0f028afd-3d3a-4e89-b11a-837e09cac92d.jpg)
President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Yongsan, central Seoul, on Dec. 2. [YONHAP]
President Lee Jae Myung said during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, one day before the first anniversary of the Dec. 3 martial law crisis, “We must bring to light all of the insurrection's hidden shadows and open the door [to a new beginning] to become a truly just national unity.”
“On Dec. 3 last year, the democratic [...] order that our people had won through their own sacrifice faced a grave crisis,” Lee said. “But the revolution of light created by the collective wisdom of our citizens drove out the darkness of that night [...] and reopened a bright dawn for Korea’s democracy.”
He stressed how the government, “born of this great revolution of light, has devoted the past six months to restoring the lives of the people and normalizing the state.”
Lee then noted how far the country has come since then, from the Korea-U.S. tariff negotiations to Washington's approval for Seoul to construct nuclear-propelled submarines.
“The resilience of our democracy, proven through this [progress], is now viewed as a source of hope for democracies around the world,” Lee said.
“The government plans to present commendations and other certificates to those who helped [...] defend the constitutional order and to establish measures so that the public’s efforts and sovereign spirit from that day will be remembered for generations.”
Lee will deliver a “special address to the nation on the first anniversary of the revolution of light [Wednesday morning].” He will then hold a press conference with foreign media.
![Broadcast booths from major networks are being set up at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Dec. 1, ahead of the first anniversary of the Dec. 3 martial law crisis. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/03/9eabafd4-d216-4137-bb35-7ca6d86f72f8.jpg)
Broadcast booths from major networks are being set up at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Dec. 1, ahead of the first anniversary of the Dec. 3 martial law crisis. [YONHAP]
In the special address and press conference, Lee will discuss overcoming the martial law crisis and the future direction of Korean society.
Later, Lee will invite five state leaders — National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, Supreme Court Chief Justice Jo Hee-de, Constitutional Court President Kim Sang-hwan, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and National Election Commission Chairperson Rho Tae-ak — to the presidential office for a luncheon.
He is also scheduled to participate in the “Dec. 3 March for Clearing and Ending Insurrection and for Major Social Reform” (translation), which will take place at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, according to the presidential office. The event is co-hosted by the civic group “Committee for the Record and Commemoration of the Emergency Action for Clearing Insurrection and Achieving Major Social Reform” (translation) and the Democratic Party, the Rebuilding Korea Party, the Progressive Party, the Basic Income Party and the Social Democratic Party.
It is unusual for a sitting president to attend a rally organized by civic groups.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY YOON SUNG-MIN [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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