On December 3, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law for the first time since the country’s military dictatorship ended in 1987 in an unexpected press announcement. According to The New York Times, Yoon claimed that the decision was made to “counter an opposition that was ‘trying to overthrow the free democracy.’” He described the opposition parties as “shameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces who are plundering the freedom and happiness of [South Korea’s] citizens,” as stated by AP News.
However, Yoon had to retract his statement just six hours after his announcement, as citizens all around South Korea erupted in protests. In the moments after Yoon’s declaration, angry crowds chanted for the end of martial law in front of the National Assembly building, as shown in a broadcast by YTN News, a South Korean news channel. Protesters demanded that Yoon be removed from his position, and politicians from Yoon’s opposition parties backed the stance.
“There is no reason to declare martial law,” Lee Jae-myung, Yoon’s opposition leader and long-time rival, stated, according to The New York Times. “We cannot let the military rule this country. President Yoon Suk Yeol has betrayed the people.”
The U.S. Department of Justice describes martial law as a state of military authority temporarily substituting for civilian rule. The South Korean constitution allows for the president to impose martial law when used to maintain public safety and order during times of armed conflicts. When the law is in effect, the appointed martial law commander can make and enforce laws with no restrictions.
Yoon appointed Army General Park An Su as the martial law commander, who proceeded to ban political party activities and citizens’ rallies. The media also came under the control of martial law command, and the edict banned the spread of fake news. All medical professionals on strike were required to return to work in the next 48 hours, and “anyone who violated the decree could be arrested without a warrant,” as stated in AP News.
The martial law was reversed around 4:30 a.m. after both parties unanimously voted to overrule the president in a Cabinet meeting. The National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik publicly declared the law invalid and stated that the lawmakers would protect the country’s democracy.
Political officials, even including members of Yoon’s party, have apologized for Yoon’s actions and demanded that he give an explanation. According to Yonhap News, all members of the Cabinet and many senior aides at the presidential office have offered to resign from their positions to “take responsibility for the president’s declaration and subsequent lifting of martial law earlier in the day.”
Yoon’s declaration of martial law reflects the political tensions that have been rising in South Korea since his appointment to office in 2022 after an extremely close election. Yoon, who is a member of the conservative party, has been frequently clashing with the liberal opposition while attempting to create policies that require legislation. According to CNN, after the liberal party won a parliamentary majority in April of this year, the country has been in a “political stalemate for months.”
The opposition group has also made continuous attempts to impeach government figures, some of whom were appointed by Yoon. In a stock manipulation scandal regarding Yoon’s wife, the opposition lawmakers argued that the prosecutors failed to indict the first lady while the presidential office denied.
South Korean citizens continue to pressure the president to be impeached after his actions risked the democracy of the people. While the government has quickly returned to its state of democracy, the extreme political polarization of South Korea leaves many citizens concerned for the future state of their nation.
