Late Tuesday night, South Korea experienced significant political turmoil as the National Assembly successfully rejected President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration, leading to widespread outrage and protests throughout the nation. During an emergency session held late at night, 190 out of 300 lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties voted unanimously against the declaration, invalidating it just hours after Yoon made the announcement.
The martial law was the first of its kind in South Korea since 1980, with President Yoon arguing that it was necessary to combat “anti-state” and “pro-North Korean forces.” Thousands of demonstrators gathered outside the National Assembly, attempting to breach the building in response to the martial law announcement, leading to clashes with security forces near the Assembly in Seoul.
Visible military presence included tanks, armored vehicles, and armed troops from South Korea’s martial command, attempting to approach the Parliament. Footage on social media showed police guarding the entrance and helmeted soldiers with rifles securing the area to prevent unauthorized access. The martial law provisions included the suspension of political and parliamentary activities, the ability to make arrests without warrants, and strict limitations on dissent, including bans on “fake news” and “manipulating public opinion.”
These extensive powers were quickly condemned by the opposition and civil society, with many denouncing the measures as unconstitutional and an attack on democratic values. Protests erupted in front of the National Assembly immediately after the announcement, with demonstrators clashing with security forces and chanting slogans like “Withdraw emergency martial law!” and “Arrest Yoon Suk Yeol.” Inside the Assembly, leaders from the Democratic Party rallied their members, accusing the President of violating the Constitution and attempting a political coup.
The Assembly’s late-night session ended with a unanimous vote against the martial law decree. Following the vote, the National Assembly Speaker declared the martial law invalid, which led to the withdrawal of troops from the parliamentary premises. Outside the Parliament, protesters celebrated after the announcement of the decision to roll back the controversial measures, chanting “we won” while hugging and clapping in joy. According to South Korean law, the president must immediately lift martial law if parliament demands it by a majority vote, and even Yoon’s own party urged him to rescind the decree. US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell expressed “grave concern” regarding the situation in South Korea, underscoring the need for peaceful resolutions to political disputes and adherence to the rule of law. Former South Korean Foreign Minister Kyung-wha Kang called Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration “shocking,” stating that “nothing in the country’s circumstances justified such a move.”
She criticized the decree as lacking justification and proper procedure, noting that it has “further weakened” the president’s authority and expressed relief that Parliament acted swiftly to reject it. After Yoon’s late-night declaration, soldiers entered the Parliament building in Seoul after breaking windows, with video evidence surfacing online. Following this unexpected declaration, the Korean won sharply declined against the US dollar. Since taking office in 2022, Yoon has struggled to advance his government’s agenda in parliament, where the opposition parties hold a numerical majority over his People Power Party (PPP).
