South Korea’s president, Yoon Suk Yeol, stunned the nation on Tuesday night by unexpectedly declaring martial law—the first such move in nearly 50 years in the democratic country.
In a late-night televised address, Yoon cited “anti-state forces” and threats from North Korea as reasons for the drastic measure. However, it quickly became apparent that the decision was driven by his own escalating political troubles rather than external threats.
The declaration sparked immediate backlash, with thousands of protesters gathering at the parliament and opposition lawmakers rushing to pass an emergency vote to overturn the martial law order.
Hours later, Yoon conceded defeat, accepting the parliamentary vote and rescinding the declaration.
Now, Yoon faces the looming threat of impeachment and potential expulsion from his own party, as his political future hangs in the balance.
How did the situation develop?
Observers suggest that Yoon has been acting like a president under siege.
In his televised address on Tuesday night, he spoke of political opposition efforts to destabilize his government before declaring martial law to “crush anti-state forces causing chaos.”
His decree placed the military in control, with helmeted troops and police surrounding the National Assembly building. Helicopters were seen landing on the roof, and local media showed masked, armed soldiers entering the building, while staff attempted to repel them with fire extinguishers.
Around 11:00 PM local time (14:00 GMT), the military issued a decree banning protests and political activities in parliament, while also placing the media under government control.
However, South Korean politicians quickly denounced Yoon’s actions as illegal and unconstitutional. Even the leader of his own party, the conservative People’s Power Party, called the move “the wrong decision.”
The leader of the opposition, Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party, urged his members to head to parliament to vote down the decree and called on citizens to protest.
“Tanks, armoured vehicles, and soldiers with guns and knives will rule the country… My fellow citizens, come to the National Assembly,” he said.
Thousands answered the call, gathering outside the heavily fortified parliament building. Protesters chanted slogans like “No martial law!” and “End dictatorship!”
Local media showed some clashes between protesters and police at the gates, but despite the military presence, the situation didn’t escalate into violence. Lawmakers were able to bypass barricades, even climbing fences to reach the voting chamber.
By around 1:00 AM on Wednesday, South Korea’s parliament—comprising 190 of the 300 members—voted to reject the martial law order, declaring it invalid.
How important is the declaration of martial law?
Martial law is a temporary imposition of military rule during an emergency, when civilian authorities are deemed incapable of functioning.
The last time martial law was declared in South Korea was in 1979, following the assassination of the country’s long-time military dictator, Park Chung-hee, during a coup. Since South Korea transitioned to a parliamentary democracy in 1987, martial law has not been invoked.
However, on Tuesday, President Yoon declared martial law, citing the need to protect the country from “anti-state forces.” Yoon, who has taken a tougher stance on North Korea than his predecessors, labeled the political opposition as North Korea sympathizers, although he provided no evidence to support this claim.
Under martial law, the military is granted extraordinary powers, and civil rights, along with the rule of law, are often suspended.
Despite the military’s announcement of restrictions on political activities and the media, both protesters and politicians defied these orders. There was no indication that the government sought to seize control of the media; outlets like Yonhap, the national broadcaster, continued to report as usual.
Why was Yoon under pressure?
Yoon was elected as a hardline conservative president in May 2022, but has faced significant pressure since April, when the opposition won a sweeping victory in the country’s general election. Since then, his administration has struggled to pass key legislation and has been forced to veto bills passed by the liberal opposition.
His approval ratings have also dropped, hovering around a low of 17%, amid multiple corruption scandals. These include one involving the First Lady accepting a Dior bag and another related to alleged stock manipulation.
Last month, Yoon was compelled to apologize on national TV, announcing the creation of an office to oversee the First Lady’s activities. However, he resisted calls from opposition parties for a broader investigation into the matter.
This week, the opposition proposed cutting a major government budget bill, a move that couldn’t be vetoed. At the same time, they initiated efforts to impeach cabinet members and top prosecutors—including the head of the government’s audit agency—for failing to investigate the First Lady.
What now?
Yoon’s declaration of martial law took many by surprise, leaving South Koreans confused for several hours about its implications.
However, the opposition quickly gathered at parliament and, with support from some members of Yoon’s own ruling People’s Power Party, was able to vote down the order. Despite the heavy presence of troops and police in the capital, a military takeover never materialized.
Under South Korean law, martial law must be lifted if a majority in parliament demands it through a vote. The same law also prevents the martial law authorities from arresting lawmakers.
It remains uncertain what will happen next and what consequences Yoon will face. Reports suggest that lawmakers are considering impeachment.
Impeachment is a relatively straightforward process, requiring more than two-thirds of the 300-member National Assembly (at least 201 votes) to approve it. If passed, a trial is held before the Constitutional Court, a nine-member body that oversees the country’s branches of government. If six members of the court vote to uphold the impeachment, the president is removed from office.
If Yoon were to be impeached, it wouldn’t be the first time a South Korean president faced such a fate. In 2016, President Park Geun-hye was impeached over accusations of aiding a friend in committing extortion. In 2004, President Roh Moo-hyun was impeached and suspended for two months, but the Constitutional Court later restored him to office.
Yoon’s sudden action has shocked the nation, which prides itself on being a thriving democracy that has come a long way since its days of dictatorship. This incident is being seen as one of the biggest challenges to the country’s democratic values in decades.
Experts suggest that this could harm South Korea’s reputation as a democracy more than even the January 6th riots in the US.
Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, described Yoon’s martial law declaration as both a legal overreach and a political miscalculation, warning that it risks South Korea’s economy and security. He also suggested that Yoon’s move seemed like a desperate reaction to mounting scandals, political obstruction, and impeachment calls, all of which are likely to intensify now.
