Protesters erupted in cheers outside South Korea’s parliament early on Wednesday after President Yoon Suk Yeol dramatically reversed a decision to impose martial law, which had sparked chaos in Seoul.
EKO HOT BLOG reports that in a surprise late-night televised address, President Yoon announced the imposition of military rule, citing the need to protect the country from “North Korea’s communist forces” and to “eliminate anti-state elements.”
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The announcement quickly stirred unrest, with thousands of demonstrators gathering outside the National Assembly. Lawmakers, some scaling the parliament’s walls to evade police lines, managed to vote down the order. Despite this, the military insisted the martial law would remain in effect until officially rescinded by the president.
In an unexpected turn of events, Yoon Suk Yeol announced in the early hours that martial law would be lifted, and troops would be withdrawn.
“Just a moment ago, there was a demand from the National Assembly to lift the state of emergency, and we have withdrawn the military that was deployed for martial law operations,” Yoon said in a televised address around 4:30 am [1930 GMT Tuesday].
“We will accept the National Assembly’s request and lift the martial law through the Cabinet meeting,” he added.
The sudden reversal sparked celebrations among protesters who had endured freezing temperatures to maintain their vigil. As one person beat a drum, the crowd cheered, shouting, “We won!” according to AFP.
Martial law, which allows military authorities to take control during an emergency, often results in the suspension of civil rights.
This was the first time martial law had been considered in South Korea since the country transitioned to democracy in 1987.
The last instance of its imposition occurred in 1979, following the assassination of long-time military leader Park Chung Hee during a coup.
Since April, President Yoon’s government has been severely weakened following a landslide victory by the opposition in South Korea’s general elections.
Yoon has also faced multiple corruption scandals, including one involving his First Lady accepting a Dior bag and another related to stock manipulation.
This week, the opposition proposed deep budget cuts for Yoon’s administration, a move the government could not veto.
The opposition has also sought to impeach key cabinet members and prosecutors, including the head of the audit agency, for failing to investigate the First Lady’s actions.
When announcing his decision to impose military rule, Yoon initially blamed North Korea but then turned his criticism toward the opposition, accusing them of using their parliamentary majority to hinder his government’s agenda.
Yoon’s actions also caused concern abroad. A spokesperson for the US State Department reaffirmed the “iron-clad” alliance with South Korea but expressed “grave concern,” stating that the situation would be closely monitored.
Similarly, a spokesperson for UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the government was “monitoring the situation closely.”
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