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On January 15, 2024, President Yoon Suk-yeol became the first incumbent president in the nation's history to be apprehended for the imposition of martial law in South Korea. President Yoon Suk-yeol enforced the martial law on December 3, 2024.
The arrest caused shockwaves domestically and worldwide. Due to its unusual nature, the broadcast industry has reorganized its broadcast times to offer substantial news coverage of the president's detention.
As reported by Korean media Sports Chosun, on January 15, several prominent Korean broadcasters and TV channels, such as MBC, KBS, and Channel A, initiated emergency schedule adjustments and annulled several scheduled shows to ensure uninterrupted reporting of Yoon Suk-yeol’s indictment.
Broadcasters like MBC, KBS, and Channel A enforce emergency schedules following President Yoon Suk-yeol’s arrest
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Per the Sports Chosun, KBS 1TV implemented major adjustments to its schedule, swapping its standard broadcast with continuous live news reporting for the whole day. Notable programs to have been discontinued include Screening Humanity, Hometown Report, Animal Kingdom, AM Plaza, and Mysteries of the Human Body.
The scheduled screenings of Our House's Golden Calf and My Merry Marriage have been canceled. Since January 15 morning, KBS has transitioned to an emergency broadcast setting, delivering coverage of the circumstances around President Yoon Suk-yeol’s detention.
The broadcaster has been providing a comprehensive analysis of the occurrences, emphasizing the effects of the current scenario and its consequences for South Korea.
MBC has also changed the schedules of its primary shows. The show Kind Shipowner has been canceled, and Special MBC News Desk was planned instead.
SBS, while preserving the majority of its standard schedule, tweaked its prime entertainment offerings. The SBS 8 News was extended, which caused the postponement of the prominent show Kick a Goal. The popular variety show has been moved to 9:10 pm from its customary 9:00 pm schedule.
Furthermore, the rebroadcast of specific shows has been suspended in preference of news programming.
Additionally, the entertainment program These Days Men's Life - Groom Class on Channel A has been suspended.
More about President Yoon Suk-yeol’s martial law case
President Yoon Suk-yeol proclaimed martial law on the evening of December 3, 2024, citing purported anti-state actions by the opposition Democratic Party (DP). The announcement precipitated national turmoil, characterized by extensive protests and public dissent against alleged dictatorial overstepping.
He charged the opposition party with undermining the state by hindering governmental operations, including the passage of the national budget. President Yoon additionally asserted that the opposition possessed pro-North Korean inclinations, yet he reportedly offered no visible proof to corroborate these allegations.
"I declare martial law to protect the free Republic of Korea from the threat of North Korean communist forces, to eradicate the despicable pro-North Korean, anti-state forces that are plundering the freedom and happiness of our people, and to protect the free constitutional order," Yoon Suk-yeol declared.
President Yoon lifted martial law early on December 4, just six hours after putting it in place. Things got tense in parliament that night when troops circled, and legislators resolved to reject military rule.
On January 15, the president was impeached and arrested for wrongfully imposing military rule in the country. Yoon expressed his deepest regrets over the total breakdown of the rule of law in a video statement he made, just before being led to the anti-corruption agency's headquarters.
In related news, I.M from MONSTA X became the first K-pop star to report Martial Law. The idol hosted Kiss The Radio on KBS's Cool FM station at 10 pm KST during the Presidential announcement. I.M informed his late-night audience of martial law's declaration in real-time.
