"Seemed Fine at the White House"... Professor Kelly Recalled After Park Geun-hye Impeachment Amid Yoon's Martial Law

President Yoon Suk-yeol's declaration of martial law has drawn international attention. Amid this, Professor Robert Kelly of Pusan National University (Department of Political Science and Diplomacy), who became famous worldwide when his children suddenly burst into his study during a video interview with the British BBC about the 2017 impeachment of President Park Geun-hye, has been re-spotlighted in relation to President Yoon's martial law declaration incident.

In 2017, during a video interview with the British BBC about the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye, Professor Robert Kelly of Pusan National University (Department of Political Science and Diplomacy) suddenly became famous worldwide when his children unexpectedly burst into his study, and the scene was broadcast live around the globe. BBC

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On the 4th (local time), Professor Kelly appeared in an interview about Korea's martial law situation via a video connection with CNN. During the broadcast, CNN anchors laughed and mentioned, "Didn't (President Yoon) sing the pop song 'American Pie' when he visited the U.S. on a state visit about two years ago?" Previously, during a state visit to the U.S. in April last year, President Yoon personally took the microphone and sang Don McLean's "American Pie" in English at a White House dinner. In response to the anchors' remarks, Professor Kelly said, "That's right. At that time, (President Yoon) looked fine. He looked normal."

Professor Robert Kelly of the Department of Political Science and Diplomacy at Pusan National University, who became an instant celebrity worldwide when his child burst into his study during a live video interview with the British BBC about the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye in 2017, has been recalled in relation to President Yoon Suk-yeol's declaration of martial law. JTBC News

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Professor Kelly laughed as if the decision to declare martial law was absurd and added, "So no one knows what will happen," and "Maybe he lost his mind or something like that." Meanwhile, on the 5th, Professor Kelly also left a commentary on his social media regarding this martial law incident. He defined President Yoon's martial law situation as a "semi-coup." Professor Kelly said, "First, this incident clearly seems to be a 'soft coup or semi-coup.' It is like the Korean version of the 2021 U.S. Capitol riot." He continued, "Declaring martial law as a response to the deadlocked minority ruling situation is just a ridiculous pretext," and commented, "And to declare it in the middle of the night."

Meanwhile, on a cryptocurrency-based betting site, bets appeared asking about the possibility of President Yoon's impeachment and whether he would step down within the year. The impeachment probability was initially predicted to be 68%. Polymarket

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Meanwhile, on a cryptocurrency-based betting site, bets appeared asking about the possibility of President Yoon's impeachment and whether he would step down within the year. The impeachment probability was initially predicted at 68%. After the announcement of the lifting of martial law, it dropped to 32%, but surged to 85% following the opposition party's submission of an impeachment motion. However, it fell again to 37% due to the ruling party's opposition. The possibility of President Yoon stepping down within the year was 22%, and 64% bet on the possibility of stepping down before the by-elections scheduled for April next year. Overseas, this martial law incident is being evaluated as a regression of Korean democracy, and interest in President Yoon's political future is growing.

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