Holiday Ayo - South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol caused a stir on Tuesday (03/12) evening when he suddenly declared martial law in South Korea for the first time in nearly 50 years.

As a result, a number of experts are worried that North Korea will take reckless action after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared military emergency status on Tuesday (3/12) evening local time.

In a televised speech, Yoon said the martial law status was to eradicate pro-North Korean forces that endanger national security.

In less than a day, Yoon then officially lifted the military emergency status after receiving strong resistance from all levels of South Korean society.

The former national intelligence official for North Korea at the United States National Intelligence Council, Sydney Seiler, said North Korea could have made the wrong move.

"There is potential for miscalculation on the part of North Korea," said Seiler, quoted by Voice of America (VOA), Wednesday (4/12). 

Seiler said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un may have decided it was the right time to exploit South Korea's weakness.

According to him, Kim has always wanted to damage US-South Korea relations. North Korea often views joint exercises between the two countries as preparation for an invasion of its country.

"Kim may see President [Yoon's] actions as something that worsens the relationship," Seiler said.

The vice president of the Center for Asia Pacific Strategy, David Maxwell, agreed that Kim may be trying to take advantage of the situation.

"If Yoon is right and there are North Korean sympathizers in South Korea, we can expect them to instigate violence," Maxwell said.

Neither Maxwell nor Seiler explained in more detail what possible actions North Korea would take.

However, in recent months relations between South Korea and North Korea have deteriorated.

Kim's government even changed the status of the Ginseng Country to an enemy country. North Korea also blew up roads connecting the two countries.

On the other hand, South Korea also blew away the embers of hostility by sending drones to Pyongyang.

A number of observers then called on the US to give a strong warning to North Korea not to take advantage of the situation.

Former deputy head of mission at the US Embassy in Seoul, Robert Rapson, said that Uncle Sam's country must show its teeth to North Korea.

"[Pyongyang should be reminded that] our [US and South Korea's] strong alliance and defense commitments remain in full force," Rapson said.