President Yoon Suk-yeol of South Korea declared martial emergency in an unexpected late-night speech on Tuesday, citing a vote by the main opposition Democratic Party, which has a legislative majority, to remove senior prosecutors and reject a government budget plan.
Much less than two hours after martial law was declared, however, lawmakers pushed past soldiers to override his order. Half an hour later, Yoon agreed to the reversal.
At about 11 p.m. (14:00 GMT), Yoon announced martial law in an impromptu broadcast speech, accusing the Democratic Party of antistate actions and North Korean sympathies.
For a brief while, his order gave the military command, sending police and soldiers to the National Assembly building, where helicopters were seen descending on the top.
Politicians in South Korea promptly denounced Yoon’s announcement as unlawful and unconstitutional. Lee Jae-myung, the head of the opposition, called for members of the Democratic Party to convene and vote against the proclamation.
Thousands of people flocked to the streets, but despite the military’s presence, tensions did not become violent. After evading the barriers, lawmakers entered the chamber and, in an extraordinary late-night session attended by 190 of South Korea’s 300 members of the National Assembly, unanimously decided to veto the proclamation.
Around 4:30 a.m., Yoon declared he would change his mind. In a statement, he reiterated his initial rationale for the order while confirming that the forces dispatched to execute it would be recalled.
Following months of waning popular support—a survey conducted last week showed Yoon’s approval rating had dropped to just 25%—martial law was declared.
He did not mention any particular North Korean danger in his statement, instead concentrating on his local political rivals. Since taking office in May 2022, he has been the target of 22 impeachment proceedings against administration personnel.
Yoon has had difficulty carrying out his agenda in a parliament dominated by the opposition since assuming office in 2022. The liberal opposition and his party are currently at odds over the budget for the upcoming year.
Political rivals have criticized Yoon for turning down requests for independent inquiries into incidents involving his wife and high-ranking officials.
On Wednesday, a group of MPs from opposition parties announced their intention to present a measure to impeach Yoon, and a vote is anticipated within 72 hours.
More than two-thirds of parliamentarians must vote in favor of the president’s impeachment by the National Assembly.
Only eight members are required to impeach the president, yet the Democratic Party and a few other parties possess 192 seats.
The proclamation of martial law was also fiercely opposed by certain members of Yoon’s People Power Party. How many, if any at all, will join the opposition in the event that a move is put to a vote is yet unknown.
The Constitutional Court, a nine-member body that regulates the many sectors of South Korea’s government, will hold a trial if the impeachment is authorized by a vote. The president will be removed from office if the impeachment is upheld by six of the court’s members.
