At 4:30 a.m. (KST) on December 3, 2024, South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol declared a state of martial law across the country. Martial law means that the country will be ruled by military authorities, and civil authorities are unable to function. During this time period, many normal civil rights will be suspended, and the military commander of an area has unlimited authority to make and enforce laws since all existing laws are suspended. Martial law typically occurs when civilian authority cannot function anymore, or has become ineffective due to times of war, disaster, or rebellion. Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration was the first time in nearly 50 years that South Korea had experienced martial law. He defended his declaration by saying it was to protect the country from, “North Korean communist forces.” President Yeol stated that the country was under a state of danger from North Korean threats and “anti-state forces,” and that martial law was necessary. However, it later became evident that the declaration wasn’t because of external threats, but because of the president’s political issues against the opposing party.
Many South Koreans have been frustrated with Yoon’s presidency. In 2022, President Yoon won the presidency by a narrow margin, and the ruling party suffered a major defeat. He was never popular even among his own party, and his popularity continued to plummet after multiple corruption scandals. In May 2022, President Yoon’s approval rating fell to 19% after his handling of allegations surrounding his wife Kim Keon Hee. His wife Kim had been accused of being involved in a stock manipulation scheme and interference in the candidate nominations and elections of the ruling People Power Party. She has also been accused of falsifying a resume, manipulating stocks, and abusing political influence. In addition, an audio recording had been between President Yoon and political broker Myung Tae-kyun had been leaked. The recording included a phone call where Yoon told the lawmaker that he had recommended the ruling party’s nominate to run in an election for the Changwon and Uichang district of South Gyeongsang Province. There have been many other incidents and allegations where Yoon, the first lady, and Myung have interfered with the ruling party’s candidate nominations. However, when the National Assembly called for a prosecution investigation into his wife, President Yoon rejected the bill. President Yoon had also rejected multiple special investigations in the past, including one looking into the death of Lance Corporal Chae Su-geun. His death included an alleged cover up by senior military officers and Yoon’s own interference. In addition, President Yoon failed to address and provide an explanation for the deaths of at least 159 people on Halloween 2022 and has not held anybody accountable for them. Ever since President Yoon took office in May 2022, there have been 22 impeachment attempts by the opposing party, and some even by his own. Struggling to fight against his loss of power, Yoon had grown more desperate after recent political loss.
Since around September 2024, the opposing party has persistently attempted to take away President Yoon and his parties power. Last week, they reduced the government’s budget for the upcoming year, and continued attempting to impeach Yoon and his chiefs of states. When President Yoon declared martial law on December 3, he called the National Assembly a “den of criminals” that was “attempting to paralyze” the government, claiming that he was saving the country from dark forces. It was revealed that the order wasn’t declared to protect the country against North Korean forces, but to crush the opposition’s attempts to undermine his government. President Yoon was to be desperately gripping onto the power he had left. He knew that in a last attempt to seize back political power, he would have to do something drastic.
Martial law directly countered the opposing party’s attempts to constrain his power. The military issued a decree banning protests, activity by parliament and political groups, and took governmental control of media by censoring news. Yoon ordered the military to storm the National Assembly parliament building where with helicopters, masked gun-holding troops, and police. However, Yoon’s declaration didn’t turn out the way he expected it to.
Instead of backing down, the opposing Democratic Party quickly gathered at the National Assembly. Party leader Lee Jae-myung had declared that the president had betrayed the people, and that he was no longer the president. Staffers held off the military with fire extinguishers as they tried to enter the building. Many politicians and civilians called the declaration illegal and unconstitutional, and multiple protesters gathered outside to demand the martial law’s removal. Even though the parliament was actively guarded by military forces, some lawmakers even climbed fences to be able to attend the National Assembly. The fence was 4.9 feet tall, and 190 out of 300 members were able to attend. Within six hours of martial law, it had been unanimously revoked in an emergency session of the country’s parliament. With no other choice, President Yoon was forced to lift his ruling. Troops quickly left the parliament and cities, but many citizens remain traumatized after the events. These events brought back memories of corrupt authoritarian leaders that led the country before the 1980s, bringing chaos and fear among a country of 50 million people. It had threatened to shatter the country’s reputation as a democratic success story. In addition, this was the Republic’s largest political crisis in decades. Despite the firsthand terror, over thousands of Korean citizens formed together unity to bring an end to the martial law.
Despite the resolution, the conflict did not end. President Yoon continues to face multiple calls to resign, and ambassadors from his own party discussed his possible expulsion. The opposing Democratic Party moved to impeach Yoon, needing more than two-thirds of the 300-member National Assembly to be successful. However, this impeachment failed. Members of Yoon’s party boycotted the vote, and not enough lawmakers participated for the motion to go into action. The impeachment needed 8 votes from Yoon’s party to go into action, but only 3 had voted. In anger, many spectators shouted and cursed at them. The People Power Party defended their actions by saying that they could not afford another loss of power, especially after 2016 where President Park had been impeached. When President Park was impeached, her downfall caused influence and power of party to go towards the National Assembly.
The overruling of the impeachment served as a catalyst for further protests. National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik called the voting “regrettable,” saying that it was an embarrassing moment and a tarnish in the country’s journey towards democracy. National pride had been destroyed, and the democracy of the nation had been set decades back. A resident in Seoul enforced that the president could not apologize with bare words after attempting to stage martial law. The only way for him to mean his apology was to resign. On December 6, President Yoon’s approval rating fell to a 13%, falling down from 19%, which had been recorded week earlier. Due to continuous political pressure and low approval ratings, many members of the People Power Party had resigned, vowing to take full responsibility for what had happened. These members even consisted of Yoon’s chief of staff, and every single senior presidential secretary. Only Yoon had not resigned.
Although members of his party, including its own leader, have urged Yoon to resign, he has continued to not comment. Currently, the country faces international embarrassment and chaotic protests. The actions of President Yoon have caused the country to regress centuries, ripping apart the democratic image and progress of Korea. It would take years for the government to go back to the way it was, as the government furthers into political turmoil and a lack of transparency. The citizens of South Korea can only look towards a second impeachment vote, which will happen during Wednesday on December 11.
Written by Claire Liu
