Rep. Lee Jae-myung, chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), and Rep. Kim Min-seok, a Supreme Council member of the DPK, converse at the National Assembly in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap

The Democratic Party of Korea's (DPK) assertion that the government is allegedly planning to declare martial law is undermining the party's position, as it has failed to provide substantial evidence to support the claim.

It has only provided an opportunity for the ruling bloc to launch a political offensive, putting pressure on the DPK to account for stoking unfounded fears. This has led some DPK members to concede, admitting that there are "circumstances" that could suggest preparations for martial law.

Ruling People Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon slammed the DPK for spreading false rumors and causing chaos.

“If you listen to the things the DPK says, you can guess that their words come out of nowhere. Is state affairs a joke to them?” Han said during a Supreme Council meeting, Thursday. “If there is even a shred of evidence, please share it with me. I'm dying to know.”

The claim of martial law began to gain traction after Rep. Kim Min-seok of the DPK raised suspicions that the Yoon Suk Yeol administration might be preparing to declare martial law to neutralize the opposition party, which holds 170 seats in the 300-member National Assembly.

“I have well-founded reasons to believe that the conservative Yoon administration is drawing up a contingency plan to declare martial law,” Kim said during a Supreme Council meeting, Aug. 21.

DPK Chairman Rep. Lee Jae-myung fueled the speculation by mentioning it during a meeting with the PPP leader, Sunday. He even suggested that the Yoon administration might be planning to arrest opposition lawmakers, noting that martial law can only be lifted if a majority of Assembly members vote for its repeal, according to the Constitution.

The primary argument for the martial law claim is that several key military positions related to national defense, counterintelligence, and information on North Korea have been filled by individuals who graduated from the same high school as the president. This includes Defense Minister nominee Kim Yong-hyun and Defense Counterintelligence Commander Lt. Gen. Yeo In-hyung. The opposition has suggested that these figures could play a critical role in enforcing martial law in a contingency.

The DPK also noted that the conservative Park Geun-hye administration drafted a contingency plan that included the possibility of martial law in 2017 during her impeachment crisis. However, the subsequent months-long investigation under the Moon Jae-in administration found no evidence of such a plan. Additionally, the DPK accused the president of referring to the opposition bloc as "anti-state forces."

Ruling People Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon, right, speaks during a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly, Thursday. On his left is Kim Jae-won, a Supreme Council member of the PPP. Yonhap

Kim Jae-won, a Supreme Council member of the PPP, proposed a one-on-one debate with Rep. Kim of the DPK, warning that “the rumormonger should keep his mouth shut” if he cannot provide evidence to support his claims. The presidential office dismissed the allegations as “groundless and politically motivated.”

Defense Minister Shin Won-sik condemned the DPK's accusations, questioning its motives.

“The previous administration caused controversy with the martial law document in 2017, but at that time, not a single person was indicted. It only hampered counterintelligence activities by cutting the number of agents (who were accused of being involved in the martial law drafting). I wonder what the DPK's intention is when counterintelligence activities need to be strengthened again,” Shin said at the Assembly, Thursday.

Even some members of the DPK are now criticizing Rep. Kim and others who raised the accusations.

Former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, a DPK heavyweight, said the martial law claim came out of nowhere and has no likelihood of occurring.

"I don't know what prompted these claims, but it is unlikely that absolute power can be wielded today as it was in the past. Moreover, martial law must be lifted immediately if requested by the Assembly," Kim told Yonhap News Agency.

In response to severe criticism, Rep. Kim toned down his remarks, stating that while there was circumstantial evidence to support his allegations, he was primarily issuing a warning to the government.