South Korean president agrees to lift martial law following parliamentary backlash
Yoon Suk Yeol’s announcement was immediately met with widespread rejection from opposition politicians and members of his own party
South Korea’s conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol declared emergency martial law on Tuesday, accusing the opposition of controlling Parliament, engaging in anti-state activities, and sympathizing with North Korea. Yoon’s announcement, which was immediately met with widespread rejection from opposition politicians and members of his own party, sent shockwaves through one of Asia’s strongest democracies. Hours later, after Parliament voted to lift the martial law, Yoon announced that he would withdraw the measure during a forthcoming Cabinet meeting, according to Reuters.
This was the first time since 1980 that martial law had been declared in South Korea, a country that experienced a series of authoritarian leaders in its early history but has been regarded as a democracy since the 1980s. In a televised statement late in the day, which had not been announced in advance, Yoon stated that the measure aimed to eradicate “pro-North Korean forces” and “protect the democratic constitutional order.”
However, within hours, he faced strong opposition from Parliament. In an emergency session convened following the president’s announcement, the Parliament, with 190 of its 300 members present, passed a motion demanding the lifting of martial law. Woo Son-shik, the opposition speaker of Parliament, declared that President Yoon’s declaration would be “null and void” following the resolution. Lawmakers cheered when he demanded that soldiers and police leave the assembly hall. Despite the vote, the military has responded by stating it will maintain martial law until it is formally lifted by President Yoon, according to the country’s public radio.
According to the South Korean Constitution, the president has the authority to declare martial law when deemed necessary to address a military threat or maintain public order. However, he is required to withdraw it if a majority of Parliament members demand it, as reported by Reuters.
The move came after the main opposition Democratic Party, which has a majority in Parliament, fast-tracked a scaled-back budget bill through the parliamentary budget committee without support from Yoon’s ruling People’s Power Party (PPP), and filed impeachment motions against the state auditor and chief prosecutor, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported.
In Seoul, the capital, confusion reigns. Multiple videos posted on social media show clashes in front of Parliament between protesters and lawmakers attempting to enter the building, with police officers trying to block their way. Forces from the Martial Command have also started to enter the parliamentary area, according to Reuters. The agency reported that citizens were protesting in front of the parliament building, chanting slogans such as “Immediate withdrawal of martial law!” and “Yoon Suk-yeol, to prison!”.
The military decree, signed by Martial Law Commander General Park An-su and translated by Reuters, outlines that all political activities, including parliamentary activities, are prohibited. It also places all media and publications under the control of the Martial Law Command. “All acts that deny or attempt to overthrow the liberal democratic system are prohibited, and fake news, public opinion manipulation, and false propaganda are prohibited,” the decree states. Strikes, work stoppages, and rallies inciting social unrest are similarly banned. Violators may be arrested, detained, and searched without a warrant.
Opposition politicians reacted immediately. Lee Jae-myung, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election, called Yoon’s announcement “illegal and unconstitutional,” according to AP. Even Yoon’s party leader, Han Dong-hoon, criticized the decision as “wrong” and vowed to “stop it with the people.”
Yoon did not mention any specific threat from North Korea, his nuclear-capable neighbor, which has grown closer to Vladimir Putin’s Russia and recently provided direct military support in the war in Ukraine. Instead, the president’s speech focused on his domestic political opponents.
Yoon, a former prosecutor who was elected president in May 2022 by a razor-thin margin of less than 1% of the vote, has struggled with very low popularity ratings throughout his term. His party, the PPP, suffered a major defeat in last April’s legislative elections, losing control of the unicameral assembly to the main opposition party, which secured nearly two-thirds of the seats. The president has faced significant criticism from the Democratic Party, which has called for a parliamentary investigation into alleged malpractices involving his wife.
The conservative party’s defeat in the April elections can be attributed to President Yoon’s extremely low popularity, which at times has dropped to around 20%. This decline is largely due to a lack of tangible progress in social and economic policies. South Korea is grappling with issues such as a sluggish economy, soaring housing prices, and rising inflation. Additionally, the country faces demographic challenges, including a rapidly aging population and a significant gender gap. Earlier this year, a doctors’ strike that began in February added to the strain, resulting in the cancellation of surgeries and treatments.
In the wake of the president’s announcement, the South Korean won sharply depreciated against the dollar. A senior central bank official, quoted by Reuters, stated that the bank was preparing measures to stabilize the market if needed. Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok convened an emergency meeting to assess the situation.
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