President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea declaring emergency martial law on Tuesday evening. Credit…Ahn Young-Joon/Associated Press
Dear Commons Community,
President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea declared emergency martial law on Tuesday night, then reversed himself hours later as thousands of protesters flooded the streets, capping an extraordinary night of tumult in the deeply divided country. As reported by The New York Times.
The threat of military rule had brought political chaos to one of America’s closest allies in Asia and carried echoes of South Korea’s postwar years of military rule and political violence.
But Mr. Yoon’s gambit appeared to quickly backfire, leaving his political future uncertain and the opposition baying for his impeachment.
His announcement imposing martial law, at 10:30 p.m. local time on Tuesday, had immediately raised questions over whether the president could commandeer such a highly developed industrialized democracy.
Before dawn on Wednesday, those questions appeared to be answered.
The National Assembly quickly passed a resolution demanding an end to martial law, and Mr. Yoon backed down, saying he would lift his emergency declaration just five and a half hours after he had issued it.
Martial law was formally lifted at a Cabinet meeting early Wednesday.
President Yoon did not immediately comment on his political future, only reiterating his demand that the opposition stop using its parliamentary majority to “paralyze” his government.
But opposition lawmakers demanded that he step down, calling his martial law “unconstitutional” and a “failed coup.”
The National Assembly can impeach the president if more than two-thirds of the Assembly vote for it. Mr. Yoon’s party controls just 108 seats in the 300-member legislature. Thousands of people have held weekend rallies in downtown Seoul in recent months, calling for Mr. Yoon’s impeachment, accusing him of incompetence, corruption and abuse of power
The martial law declaration on Tuesday night had sent thousands of protesters into the frigid night, gathering at the National Assembly building and chanting for the president’s arrest and removal. Chaotic scenes captured on video showed military vehicles thronged by protesters and South Korean troops climbing through windows to enter the National Assembly where opposition politicians were gathering.
This is not a good situation for South Korea nor for stability in the Far East!
Tony
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