<div class="flex max-w-full flex-col flex-grow">
<div class="min-h-8 text-message flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 whitespace-normal break-words [.text-message+&amp;]:mt-5" dir="auto" data-message-author-role="assistant" data-message-id="312c01c5-427c-4b9d-94dd-96c84c4a3c70" data-message-model-slug="gpt-4o">
<div class="flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden first:pt-[3px]">
<div class="markdown prose w-full break-words dark:prose-invert light">
<p>In an extraordinary turn of events, South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol invoked martial law in a surprise late-night television address on Tuesday, only to retract the measure hours later under immense political and public pressure. The announcement marked a dramatic and divisive moment in South Korea&rsquo;s modern political history, recalling the nation&rsquo;s fraught past with authoritarian measures.</p>
<p>President Yoon justified the declaration by accusing the opposition Democratic Party of engaging in &ldquo;anti-state activities&rdquo; and harboring sympathies toward North Korea. He pointed to their recent actions, including a vote to oust top prosecutors and the rejection of his government&rsquo;s budget proposal, as undermining national security. This decision, however, sparked immediate condemnation across the political spectrum, with critics denouncing the move as a dangerous overreach of power.</p>
<h3>Parliamentary Rejection and Cabinet U-Turn</h3>
<p>In a rare show of unity, South Korea's National Assembly unanimously voted to reject the martial law order during an emergency late-night session. Of the 300 members, 190 lawmakers attended the vote, including dissenting members of Yoon's own conservative People Power Party. The party&rsquo;s leader criticized the president&rsquo;s decision, calling it &ldquo;wrong&rdquo; and pledging to join efforts to block the directive.</p>
<p>Opposition floor leader Park Hong-geun labeled the act as &ldquo;treason&rdquo; and called for Yoon&rsquo;s immediate resignation. Following the parliamentary rebuke, Yoon's cabinet convened in haste and voted to lift martial law, signaling a dramatic reversal within hours of its imposition.</p>
<h3>Public Outcry and Protests</h3>
<p>By Wednesday morning, protests erupted outside the National Assembly, with demonstrators calling for Yoon&rsquo;s resignation. About 100 protesters chanted slogans such as &ldquo;Arrest Yoon Suk Yeol&rdquo; and &ldquo;Trash Yoon Suk Yeol.&rdquo; The tense atmosphere led to heightened security around the legislature, with police heavily guarding the premises.</p>
<p>Adding to the turmoil, several of Yoon's senior aides, including his chief of staff and more than ten top secretaries, resigned in what appeared to be a protest against the president&rsquo;s handling of the crisis. Despite the resignations and widespread calls for him to step down, Yoon has thus far resisted quitting.</p>
<h3>A Fragile Presidency</h3>
<p>Yoon Suk Yeol&rsquo;s presidency, which began in May 2022, has been marked by challenges and controversies. A political novice with a 27-year career as a prosecutor, Yoon narrowly won the presidency by less than one percentage point, succeeding liberal leader Moon Jae-in. His tenure has faced escalating tensions on multiple fronts, including North Korea&rsquo;s threats, complex dynamics between China and the U.S., and South Korea&rsquo;s declining birth rates.</p>
<p>This latest episode has further strained his administration, with critics accusing him of overstepping constitutional limits. Article 77 of South Korea's constitution permits martial law in cases of war, armed conflict, or similar national emergencies, but many lawmakers and analysts argue Yoon&rsquo;s invocation lacked justification.</p>
<h3>A Nation Reflects on Martial Law&rsquo;s Legacy</h3>
<p>The memory of martial law looms large in South Korea, with its last imposition in 1980 tied to a brutal crackdown on pro-democracy movements. For many, Yoon&rsquo;s decision evoked fears of a return to autocratic governance, raising questions about the fragility of democratic norms in the face of political polarization.</p>
<p>As the president navigates mounting pressure to resign, South Korea finds itself at a crossroads, grappling with the balance between executive power and democratic accountability. The coming days will determine whether Yoon can regain the public&rsquo;s trust&mdash;or if his presidency will be remembered as a cautionary tale of overreach in a democracy still healing from its authoritarian past.</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="mb-2 flex gap-3 empty:hidden -ml-2">
<div class="items-center justify-start rounded-xl p-1 z-10 -mt-1 bg-token-main-surface-primary md:absolute flex">
<div class="flex items-center">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</div>

South Korean's protest against the Martial Law in front of National Assembly

Yoon faces backlash, protests, and demands for resignation over late-night martial law declaration

South Korea's President Lifts Martial Law Amid Backlash

Yoon faces backlash, protests, and demands for resignation over late-night martial law declaration

December 4, 2024 | 07:37 IST