Past variety show appearance of martial law commander garners attention amid emergency declaration.

Amid the overnight martial law declaration that sparked widespread repercussions, the past appearance of Martial Law Commander Park An Soo on a variety show has drawn significant attention.

In 2013, Park Ansoo appeared on the MBC variety program ‘Sunday Night: Real Men’, during the Marine Corps episode. At the time, he was serving as a colonel and commander of the 50th Infantry Division. He appeared in a scene where cast members Kim Soo Ro, Sam Hammington, Ryu Soo Young, Seo Kyung Suk, and Son Jin Young reported to him upon their assignment.

This scene has resurfaced approximately 11 years later due to the current martial law situation. MBC even uploaded the clip on its official YouTube channel, and netizens left comments like, “Martial Law Commander on ‘Real Men,’” “He’s now the Martial Law Commander,” and “Clicked this video as fast as the martial law repeal vote.”

On December 3rd, President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law and appointed four-star general Park An Soo, the Chief of Staff of the Army, as the Martial Law Commander. The decision to appoint him instead of General Kim Myung Soo, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the highest-ranking officer in the military, has been described as unusual.

Born in 1968, Commander Park is a graduate of the Korea Military Academy’s 46th class. He previously served as the commander of the 8th Corps, the 39th Infantry Division, and the Director of Operations Planning at the Ground Operations Command. His rapid rise to the position of Army Chief of Staff last year has raised questions about whether it constitutes an “ultra-fast promotion.”

On December 3rd, Commander Park issued Martial Law Command Proclamation No. 1, stating: “All political activities, including those of the National Assembly, local councils, political parties, and political organizations, as well as rallies and protests, are prohibited. To protect our liberal democracy and safeguard the people from anti-state forces threatening to overthrow the Republic of Korea’s system, I hereby issue this proclamation effective as of 11 PM, December 3, 2024, across the entire nation.”

He further added: “Any activities aimed at denying or overthrowing the liberal democratic system are prohibited, as are fake news, misinformation, and incitement. All media and publications will be subject to Martial Law Command’s control. Strikes, slowdowns, and assemblies that incite social disorder are also prohibited.”

President Yoon declared the martial law lifted at 4 AM on December 4th, approximately six hours after announcing the emergency during his televised address at 10 PM the previous evening.

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