U.S. White House "I didn't get prior notice of martial law...Deeply concerned"

[Anchor]
The White House expressed grave concern about the situation in South Korea, saying it had not been notified in advance of President Yoon's declaration of an emergency martial law.

President Yoon Suk Yeol lifted the emergency decree in six hours, but the U.S. media reacted with shock, and our stocks listed on the U.S. stock market also plunged.

Connect to Washington. Correspondent Hong Sang-hee!

[Reporter]
Yes. It's Washington.

[Anchor]
The White House said in advance that we were not informed of emergency martial law by our government, right?

[Reporter]
A spokesperson for the White House National Security Council said the U.S. had not been informed in advance of the declaration of emergency martial law in response to a YTN query regarding the declaration of martial law.

He also said that he is seriously concerned about the development of the situation in Korea.

U.S. President Biden, who is currently visiting Angola, also said he was briefed on South Korea's declaration of emergency martial law there.There was a State Department briefing just before President

Yoon announced the lifting of the martial law, and questions were unusually asked about the martial law situation.

Vedant Patel, a deputy State Department spokesman, said the country's laws and rules should be observed in the country and that the South Korean parliament's resolution to lift martial law should be observed.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell also said he hopes to have a peaceful resolution under the law.

He also emphasized the ironclad Korea-U.S. alliance and that the U.S. is on the side of South Korea in uncertain times.

Let me listen to Deputy Secretary Campbell for myself.

[Kurt Campbell / U.S. Deputy Secretary of State] We are watching the developments in Korea with grave concern. Here and in Seoul, we are trying to engage with all the South Korean officials of supply and demand, and (Biden) President, National Security Adviser and Secretary of State have all been briefed on the situation and are constantly being briefed on the assessment of the situation. I want to emphasize that the alliance with South Korea is ironclad, and I want to emphasize that the United States is on the side of South Korea in times of uncertainty. I would also like to stress that I fully hope and expect any political dispute to be resolved peacefully and in line with the rule of law.]

The U.S. Department of Defense also stressed in a briefing that there has been no change in the U.S. Forces Korea's posture since the declaration of an emergency martial law in South Korea.

[Anchor]
There are also a series of emergency reports from foreign media. What is the reaction of the American media?

[Reporter]
The U.S. media is shocked by the emergency martial law situation in Korea.

CNN reports on Korea's declaration of martial law, citing YTN and others, on the situation of access to the National Assembly, the passage of a resolution calling for the lifting of emergency martial law, and the lifting of the martial law in real time.

CNN reported that South Korea, a modern democracy, has fallen into a politically unknown sea, and that while South Korean politics has long been divided, no leader has ever gone as far as declaring martial law.

The Washington Post also stressed that President Yoon's declaration of martial law in South Korea, which collapsed the military regime 40 years ago due to democratization, is shocking.

The Associated Press said Yoon's declaration of martial law was the first since democratization in 1987, reminiscent of an authoritarian leader not seen in South Korea since the 1980s.

Rep. Andy Kim, the first Korean to be elected to the U.S. Senate last month, criticized the emergency, saying it has weakened the fundamental foundation of people's rule and increased the nation's vulnerability.

[Anchor]
Let's take a look at the state of the stock market.

[Reporter]
The stock prices of major Korean companies listed on the U.S. stock market immediately after the martial law was declared were also on a rollercoaster ride.

Shortly after the news of martial law broke on the New York Stock Exchange on the 3rd, Coupang plunged 9.8% during the day, and POSCO Holdings also fell more than 7%.

However, as the National Assembly passed a resolution calling for the lifting of martial law, the fall was reduced.

Coupang and POSCO Holdings fell in the 4% range, while KB Financial Group and SK Telecom fell in the 1%-2% range.

Investment products of major Korean companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange, including exchange-traded funds ETFs, also remained weak, falling more than 7% at one point during the day.

So far, I've delivered it from Washington.