A standoff between South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and the country’s opposition party erupted Tuesday evening when Yoon declared emergency martial law, accusing opposition forces of “paralyzing” the government.
Yet, hours later South Korea’s parliament quickly voted to lift the martial law decree, according to the Associated Press.
In a recently televised speech, Yoon justified the martial law decree, citing the opposition party’s “anti-state activities*, and their alleged connections with North Korea.
Yoon then vowed to “eradicate pro-North Korean forces” and protect the constitution, framing the martial law as a necessary step to prevent the country from descending into chaos, reported Reuters.
“I declare martial law to protect the free Republic of Korea from the threat of North Korean communist forces, to eradicate the despicable pro-North Korean anti-state forces that are plundering the freedom and happiness of our people, and to protect the free constitutional order,” Yoon said.
The country’s opposition parties quickly condemned the declaration from Yoon as unconstitutional and undemocratic.
Within hours of Yoon’s announcement, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik called an emergency session, urging Korean leaders to gather and take action against the presidential decree. As a result, all 190 lawmakers present in the South Korean assembly voted to lift the imposed martial law.
Speaker Woo emphasized that the country’s parliament “will protect democracy with the people,” rejecting Yoon’s claim that the opposition had placed the country at risk.
Video footage posted by X user Guy Elster, showed police and military personnel stationed outside South Korea’s Parliament building as tensions escalated on Tuesday before the decree was lifted. Soldiers, some carrying rifles, were seen at the gates of parliament, while helicopters hovered overhead. However, after the vote, the military began to withdraw from the area.
South Korea has a very touchy history with the imposition of martial law.
The last time martial law was declared in South Korea was in 1979, following the assassination of President Park Chung-hee, which led to widespread suppression of any political opposition and a plethora of human rights abuses. The country’s shift to democracy in 1987 ended decades of military-backed authoritarian rule, and the declaration of martial law by Yoon has been seen by many as a dangerous step backward, reported ZeroHedge.
Yoon’s administration has also faced mounting criticism over a series of scandals involving his family and inner circle of top officials. As a result, Yoon’s approval rating has sharply dropped in recent months, according to data from AsiaElects.
Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election, criticized the martial law declaration by simply calling it, “illegal and unconstitutional.”