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Introduction
Thousands of South Koreans protesting in the streets in -2 degree Celsius weather, police barricading the National Assembly building, the 60-year-old leader of the opposition party live streaming himself climbing over a fence to enter the National Assembly building–by the next morning, South Korea had entered a phase of political turmoil. The time is 10:27 pm, Tuesday, December 3rd, 2024 in Seoul, Korea, and President Yoon Suk-yeol has just declared martial law, citing “anti-state” activities and accusing the opposition party of sympathizing with neighbouring North Korea. This announcement stunned the nation.
Martial Law and its History in South Korea
Martial law is the ability to transition the government's power from lawmakers to the military, which is typically declared during emergencies like rebellions or attempts to seize power.
The last martial law was declared in South Korea back in 1980, after a successful coup by General Chun Doo-hwan. He imposed martial law across the country, turning South Korea into a military dictatorship. To resist this implementation, pro-democracy activists in the city of Gwangju rose up against it, which led to a massacre. According to the Wilson Center, the massacre of Gwangju for democracy was the “bloodiest instance of government repression in contemporary South Korean history”, with death tolls ranging from 160 to 1000. As this incident was fairly recent, many South Koreans remember the “dead bodies on the street” in Gwangju in 1980. This announcement by Yoon has triggered painful memories, as stated by Donald Baker, a professor of Korean history at the University of British Columbia.
Why Did Yoon Declare Martial Law?
President Yoon, South Korea's 13th president, has faced consistent unpopularity since his 2022 election for a variety of reasons, including the 2022 Seoul Halloween crushing that claimed 158 lives, medical sector strikes and staff shortages, and family scandals. A Dong-A Ilbo newspaper poll put his support at only 17% in November of 2024. The April National Assembly election further weakened Yoon's position, as the opposition Democratic Party regained control, hindering his policy agenda.
Timeline of Events
11:30 pm: The newly instituted martial law commander Park An-su announced that all activities related to the National Assembly would be banned. Martial law could only be repealed by a majority vote within the assembly.
From 11:30 to 1:30 am the next day, there was a struggle to reach the parliamentary building, from climbing walls to sneaking through windows to barricading entranceways.
At 1:30 am, 190 of the 300 parliamentary members were present to vote for the uplifting of martial law and all 190 members voted yes, even those in the president’s own party. Thousands of citizens joined the protests, assisting lawmakers in their efforts.
At 4:30 am, the president honoured the choice of parliament and lifted martial law.
Public Reaction and Aftermath
Yoon’s declaration drew widespread condemnation. Opposition parties have stated that Yoon’s move was a “failed coup” and filed charges of insurgency. Additionally, on Friday, his own party leader Han Dong-hun “called for an immediate suspension of Yoon’s official duties”. From Wednesday onwards, protestors to labour unions have all joined the protest against the president, with members of the Korean Metal Workers’ Union, one of the country’s biggest umbrella labour groups, starting hourly strikes.
As of Saturday, December 7th, there had been an impeachment–a charge of misconduct made against the holder of a public office–movement against the president for his declaration of martial law but was nullified after the president’s party boycotted the vote. “With a total of 195 votes, the number of members who voted did not reach the required two-thirds majority of the total members, therefore, I declare that the vote on this matter is not valid,” said Woo Won-shik–the national assembly speaker.
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