South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol briefly declared martial law on Dec. 2 at 11 pm local time, which was lifted six hours later, on Dec. 3. This bold move placed the East Asian country under martial law for the first time since the military dictatorship in 1980, sparking protests.
In a speech declaring martial law at 10 pm, Yoon framed the act as a response to alleged “pro-North Korean” and “anti-state” activities in the National Assembly, South Korea’s parliament.
“Our National Assembly has become a den of criminals and is attempting to paralyze the nation’s judicial administration system through legislative dictatorship and overthrow the liberal democracy system,” Yoon said.
Martial law is when a country’s government changes hands from civilian rule to military rule and is used to maintain order during emergencies. This can involve restricting civil rights, such as freedom of the press or assembly, as well as limiting regular laws and civilian courts. South Korea’s constitution allows the president to do so in “wartime” or “comparable national emergency states.”
Yoon’s declaration of martial law also sparked significant protests, with some demonstrators calling for Yoon’s resignation. Hundreds of South Koreans assembled at the National Assembly to protest. It is possible that the reason for such a fast response from the public was that such a thing had happened before in South Korea’s history.
Shortly after the declaration of martial law, troops began blockading the building of South Korea’s National Assembly, hindering members of the National Assembly from entering.
Nonetheless, the National Assembly urgently convened within 20 minutes of the declaration, and lawmakers managed to enter the building, some doing so by breaking barricades.
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the opposition Democratic Party, climbed a fence to enter the National Assembly, livestreaming the event. Lee’s video went viral, achieving tens of millions of views on X.
“It’s up to our citizens to protect this country,” Lee said. “We will also risk our lives to protect the democracy of this country.”
Within a few hours, the National Assembly voted 190-0 to overturn the martial law declaration, in which members of Yoon’s party participated.
While this was unfolding, South Korean soldiers smashed windows and broke doors to try to enter the building.
Within six hours of martial law, Yoon’s cabinet officially lifted the declaration.
Yoon’s actions were faced with massive backlash. The police opened insurrection investigations against Yoon, and the Democratic Party submitted an impeachment motion against Yoon.
But, what drove Yoon to make such a decision?
In his declaration of martial law, Yoon indicated his frustration at the opposition-dominated National Assembly, accusing lawmakers of creating political paralysis through impeachment motions and budget cuts. Yoon’s approval rating has also plummeted, dropping to 19% at the end of November, a Gallup poll found.
Yoon, whose administration has taken a harder line against North Korea, also accused his opponents of sympathizing with North Korea.
These recent events have once again highlighted concerns about the backsliding of South Korea’s democracy, and may also impact relations with South Korea’s allies, including the US and Japan.
