A few hours after surprising his country and the world this Tuesday with a declaration of martial law that sparked protests and uncertainty, the president of South Korea, Yoon Suk-yeol, announced the lifting of the measure.
In a televised message, the president said that he would repeal this decision as soon as he managed to gather the required number of cabinet members to do so.
And so he did shortly after.
Martial law implies that military authorities assume extraordinary functions and a large part of the government, as well as the suspension of some public freedoms.
Yoon had announced his application this Tuesday, arguing that he sought to “protect the democratic constitutional order” from the “pro-North Korean forces” that, he said, operate in the country.
The unexpected announcement triggered tension in South Korea due to the reaction to what many in the country interpreted as a turn to authoritarianism unilaterally imposed by Yoon.
A measure of this type had not been imposed in that country for more than 40 years.
The Parliament, controlled by the opposition, met urgently and approved in a hasty vote to block the emergency decree and martial law, which both opposition leaders and the president’s party opposed.
Despite this, according to state television, the army said that martial law would be in effect until the state of emergency was lifted by the president.
Around the Legislature, whose activities should be suspended when martial law comes into effect, people gathered to protest against Yoon’s decision. Shouts against martial law were heard and the police sounded their sirens.
Military personnel entered Parliament and there were moments of confusion, but, according to statements by the Speaker of the House cited by the local Yonhap news agency, the troops vacated the building.
Later, the crowd gathered around Parliament celebrated when Yoon announced his intention to rescind the measure, as reported by AFP.
The protesters, however, indicated that they will not leave the place until all the security forces deployed there leave.
The South Korean president’s unexpected move led to the question of what prompted him to adopt such a drastic decision.
Having lost control of Parliament this year, the government saw how the approval of laws and initiatives undermined its power. Government and opposition are also now at odds over the approval of a new national budget.
And when Yoon announced martial law, his detractors accused him of resorting to an undemocratic tactic, invoking a false reason of national security, to contain the opposition.
The reaction
The announcement of the withdrawal of the declaration of martial law by the South Korean president generated surprise and perplexity among legislators in that country, who are incredulous about how Yoon could have taken such a drastic measure and then withdraw it so easily.
Among opposition parliamentarians there seems to be consensus around the idea that the president must now resign from office or be subjected to a impeachment.
The application of martial law had been rejected by both the opposition and prominent leaders of the ruling party.
After it was announced, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition party, the Democratic Party, called an emergency meeting of Parliament on Tuesday night to vote against martial law and annul it.
But, as television images showed, police vehicles prevented access to the Parliament building in Seoul.
Over there Groups of protesters appeared and, shouting “No to martial law,” confronted the police. deployed next to the building.
The deputies finally managed to meet and vote against the emergency decree approved by the president.
How did we get here?
The South Korean opposition won a resounding victory in the April elections.
Since then, the government has been unable to approve the laws it wanted to promote and has been forced to settle for vetoing those approved by the opposition.
Yoon has been president since 2022. He is part of the People Power Party and won the presidential election by defeating his opponent, Lee Jae-myung, by just 0.7 percentage points. It was the closest election since South Korea began direct elections in 1987.
At the same time, Yoon’s popularity fell amid corruption scandals. One of them involves the first lady, who reportedly accepted a Dior bag as a gift.
Last month Yoon had to apologize on television and announced that she would create an office to supervise the first lady’s activities, although she rejected the investigative commission that the opposition had been demanding.
In the latest turn of events, the opposition cut the government budget, leaving the president with little room for maneuver, since the budget law cannot be vetoed.
The opposition majority that controls Parliament also began the process to dismiss several ministers.
The announcement of the establishment of martial law is the last and extreme chapter in a fight that confronts South Korea with its most serious institutional crisis in its recent history.
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