The president of South Korea early Wednesday lifted the martial law he imposed on the country hours earlier, bending to political pressure after a tense night in which troops surrounded parliament and lawmakers voted to reject military rule.
President Yoon Suk Yeol, who appeared likely to be impeached over his actions, imposed martial law late Tuesday out of frustration with the opposition, vowing to eliminate "anti-state" forces as he struggles against opponents who control parliament and that he accuses of sympathizing with communist North Korea.
Yoon had initially declared martial law in a televised address, stating that it was necessary to protect the "free Republic of Korea" from what he described as forces leading the nation toward ruin. He promised to eliminate anti-state elements and restore order, urging citizens to accept the resulting inconveniences.
The declaration added to the political turmoil surrounding an unpopular leader, struggling to push his agenda through an opposition-controlled parliament, while dealing with corruption scandals involving both him and his wife. Although Yoon made claims about North Korea being a destabilising force, he provided no direct evidence. His administration has long maintained that a firm stance against Pyongyang is crucial to counter its nuclear threats against South Korea.
What Martial Law Means for South Korea
Martial law, in its essence, involves replacing civilian rule with military authority and suspending civilian legal processes. This includes curbing civil liberties such as freedom of speech, press, and assembly. Under martial law, military commands supersede the civilian government’s functions until the emergency ends.
Article 77 of South Korea’s constitution allows the President to declare martial law during times of national emergency, such as war or armed conflict, to restore public order. This article also grants the President authority to enforce special measures limiting certain freedoms, like speech and assembly, in response to military needs.
Reports from South Korea's major news agency Yonhap, citing military sources, indicated that under martial law, political activities, including those by parliament and political parties would have been banned. Media outlets would also fall under military control. Lawmakers were reportedly barred from entering the National Assembly. However, President Yoon did not provide detailed specifics about the measures enforced during martial law during it's implementation.
This marked the 17th time martial law had been declared in South Korea since the country's establishment, with the most recent instance occurring in 1980.
The Context Behind Yoon’s Declaration
Yoon’s move to declare martial law followed a period of intense political gridlock. Since the opposition's sweeping victory in the National Assembly elections earlier this year, Yoon has found it increasingly difficult to govern effectively. With limited support, he has struggled to pass key legislation and has instead been vetoing bills passed by the opposition. This stalemate between the President and the National Assembly, which Yoon describes as a paralysis of state affairs, has contributed to the current crisis.
Just this month, Yoon denied wrongdoing in an influence-peddling scandal involving him and his wife. The claims have battered his approval ratings and fueled attacks by his rivals.
Yoon's declining approval ratings, also fuelled by scandals involving his wife, have further compounded the challenges facing his administration. Allegations of influence peddling, stock manipulation, and other charges have intensified public discontent, particularly as the opposition seeks a special investigation into these matters. In parallel, tensions between Yoon’s conservative People Power Party and the liberal Democratic Party over next year’s budget have worsened, with the opposition also pushing to impeach top prosecutors involved in high-profile criminal investigations.
Faced with these mounting crises, analysts suggest that Yoon’s declaration of martial law was an extreme measure aimed at regaining control over a deteriorating political situation. This move has been compared to a “nuclear option” in South Korea’s political landscape.
Reaction to Martial Law Declaration
The response to the declaration was swift and overwhelmingly negative, both from the public and political figures. BBC reported that while the streets remained calm, the public’s reaction has been one of bewilderment.
Political figures from both the opposition and within Yoon's own party expressed strong opposition to the move. Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung condemned the decision, warning that martial law could lead to military rule across the country, saying, “Tanks, armoured personnel carriers, and soldiers with guns and knives will rule the country.” He further warned that such a move would irreparably damage the country’s economy and called on citizens to protest outside the National Assembly.
Even within Yoon’s conservative party, there was backlash. Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party, labelled the declaration a “wrong” decision and pledged to block it. According to South Korean law, martial law can be repealed if a majority in the National Assembly votes for its repeal. The process unfolded against Yoon Suk Yeol, All 190 lawmakers who participated in the vote supported the lifting of martial law.
Martial law remains a highly sensitive issue in South Korea, a country that only transitioned to democracy in the late 1980s. Military intervention in civilian affairs is still a deeply controversial topic.
During the authoritarian regimes that followed the devastation of the 1950-53 Korean War, martial law was often declared to quell anti-government protests. Combat soldiers, tanks, and armoured vehicles were deployed in public spaces to suppress dissent, scenes that many in South Korea today find unimaginable.
Park Chung-hee, who ruled South Korea for nearly two decades until his assassination by his spy chief in 1979, first deployed troops in the early hours of May 16, 1961, in the country's first successful coup. Throughout his rule, he frequently imposed martial law to suppress protests and imprison critics.
Just months after Park’s death, Maj. Gen. Chun Doo-hwan led tanks and soldiers into Seoul in December 1979 for the country’s second successful coup. The following year, Chun ordered a brutal military crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Gwangju, which resulted in the deaths of at least 200 people.
In 1987, mass protests led to Chun's government agreeing to direct presidential elections. The election, held later that year, was won by Roh Tae-woo, Chun's army colleague and a key figure in the 1979 coup, largely due to a split among liberal opposition candidates.
Meanwhile, Yoon has publicly responded to the opposition's demand. But his office said senior presidential advisers and secretaries for Yoon offered to resign collectively and the president also put off his official Wednesday morning schedule.
The liberal opposition Democratic Party, which holds a majority in the 300-seat parliament, said Wednesday that its lawmakers decided to call on Yoon to quit immediately or they would take steps to impeach him. Impeaching him would require support from two-thirds of the parliament, or 200 of its 300 members. The Democratic Party and other small opposition parties together have 192 seats. But when the parliament rejected Yoon's martial law declaration in a 190-0 vote, 18 lawmakers from Yoon's ruling People Power Party cast ballots supporting the rejection, according to National Assembly officials.
