President Yoon declares martial law in Korea, lifts it 6 hours later

Police block entry to the Yongsan presidential office compound in central Seoul early Wednesday after President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law

In a tumultuous night for South Korea, President Yoon Suk Yeol unexpectedly declared emergency martial law to eradicate “antistate forces” late Tuesday, drawing both political and public outrage.

Six hours later, the Cabinet early Wednesday approved of a motion to lift the emergency martial law after the National Assembly passed a resolution requesting the lifting of the emergency martial law.

A little before 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, Yoon gave an unannounced public address at the Yongsan presidential office in Seoul announcing a decree last invoked during a military regime.

This marked the first time in 44 years that martial law has been declared in South Korea. Lawmakers across the political aisle immediately voiced their shock, and three hours after Yoon’s proclomation, the National Assembly passed a resolution requesting the lifting of the emergency martial law.

The motion was passed early Wednesday with all 190 lawmakers present in favor. This included 18 conservative People Power Party (PPP) lawmakers in a 300-seat parliament controlled by the liberal Democratic Party (DP).

National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik called the martial law “null and void,” assuring the public to “be at ease” as he vowed that parliament will safeguard democracy. He called on the police and military to immediately exit parliamentary grounds.

Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks in an unannounced press conference at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul Tuesday night.

Yoon announced in a public address at 4:27 a.m. Wednesday that he will hold a Cabinet meeting to lift the emergency martial law.

He said in the second televised public address over the course of several hours that troops deployed to carry out the martial law decree have been withdrawn.

“At 11 p.m. last night, I declared martial law with a resolute will to save the country against antistate forces that are trying to paralyze the essential functions of the country and destroy the constitutional order of liberal democracy,” said Yoon in a televised address early Wednesday.

Yoon’s acceptance of the parliamentary motion came after police barred the National Assembly complex gates and military troops entered the building while hundreds of people gathered outside to protest the decree.

Martial law has been declared a total of 16 times in South Korea, and emergency martial law proclaimed 12 times.

Martial law was last imposed ahead of the May 18, 1980, democratization movement in Gwangju during the Chun Doo Hwan regime. “I declare martial law to protect the Republic of Korea from the threats of North Korean communist forces, to immediately eradicate the unscrupulous pro-Pyongyang antistate forces that pillage the freedom and happiness of our people and to protect free constitutional order,” Yoon said in Tuesday’s emergency briefing at the presidential office.

“Through emergency martial law, we will rebuild and protect the free Republic of Korea, which is falling into ruin.” In the televised address, Yoon vowed to “eradicate such antistate forces and the culprits of the country’s ruin, who have committed evil acts up until now.”

He said the move will “guarantee the people’s freedom, safety and national sustainability against the actions of antistate forces seeking to overthrow the system,” calling it an “inevitable” measure.

Police block the entrace to the National Assembly in western Seoul after President Yoon Suk Yeol declares emergency martial law late Tuesday.

The move comes after the DP, which holds a parliamentary majority, railroaded a downsized budget bill in the National Assembly’s special budget committee last week.

It also submitted impeachment motions against the chief of the state audit agency and chief prosecutor.

In Tuesday’s address, Yoon criticized the DP, accusing the party of holding a “legislative dictatorship,” also referring to 22 impeachment attempts against administration officials by the DP since he took office in May 2022.

Possibly mindful of the optics of the declaration abroad, Yoon stressed, “There is no change in South Korea’s foreign policy stance of fulfilling its responsibilities and contributions in the international community.”

Soon after, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Park An-su was named martial law commander. Park immediately declared all political activities, including those of the National Assembly, local governments and political parties, prohibited. Demonstrations, rallies and other activities inciting social unrest were also banned.

Anyone violating martial law can be arrested without a warrant, the declaration said. All media outlets and publications were also subject to martial law.

A helicopter carrying troops lands at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, early Wednesday Military forces are spotted breaking windows of the National Assembly to get inside the chamber early Wednesday in a footage aired by local broadcaster MBCHan Dong-hoon, the leader of the PPP aligned with Yoon, immediately said Tuesday that the president’s martial law declaration is “wrong,” pledging to “stop it along with the people.”

The DP in turn ordered lawmakers to gather at the National Assembly in western Seoul late Tuesday. DP leader Lee Jae-myung said martial law is unlawful and urged lawmakers “to safeguard the collapsing democracy.”

Article 77 of the South Korean Constitution stipulates that the president may declare martial law in response to war, armed conflict or other national emergencies.

Martial law is divided into extraordinary martial law or precautionary martial law. After the president proclaims martial law, the National Assembly is to be notified without delay. According to Article 11 of the Martial Law Act, if the National Assembly requests the lifting of martial law, the president shall do so and announce it “without delay.”

Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun reportedly advised Yoon to declare martial law, while other presidential aides indicated that they were blindsided.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said that troops sent to the National Assembly withdrew as of 4:22 a.m. Wednesday, and added that no unusual movement from North Korea has been detected.