[duxup]

Was there ever any good reason given for declaring marital law?

As far as i could tell it was a purely political stunt meant to intimidate a rival political party ... that seems like an absurd use of those powers.

[yongjik]

s/intimate a rival political party/round up and murder political opponents and citizens/

but otherwise... yeah, there was absolutely no good reason.

[MattGaiser]

It seems like it was a straight-up coup attempt.