President Yoon Suk-yeol’s abrupt martial law declaration on the night of Dec. 3 has plunged South Korea into political turmoil. Although the National Assembly voted to overturn the decree with 190 votes in favor just 155 minutes after it was imposed, and President Yoon reversed it a few hours later, the crisis remains far from resolved. How President Yoon and the ruling and opposition parties handle this situation moving forward will determine whether the nation returns to normalcy or descends further into chaos.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, the ruling People Power Party (PPP) leader Han Dong-hoon, and PPP floor leader Choo Kyung-ho met with President Yoon for an hour that night. During the meeting, Han reportedly expressed strong objections to martial law forces entering the National Assembly, to which Yoon responded along the lines of, “What’s wrong with arresting lawmakers for violating martial law?”
Six hours after imposing martial law, President Yoon declared it lifted in the early hours of Dec. 4. “I declared martial law, determined to save the nation,” he said. He then called for an end to “impeachment efforts, legislative obstruction, and budgetary gridlock paralyzing the country.” However, he failed to offer a convincing explanation as to why he suddenly declared and reversed martial law, especially when it was evident that the opposition-controlled National Assembly could overturn it with a simple majority. This lack of accountability is deeply troubling.
The president’s declaration of martial law is now mired in controversy for potentially violating the Constitution and relevant laws. The Constitution states that martial law may only be imposed in cases of “war or comparable national emergencies.” While the Democratic Party’s actions regarding the budget and impeachment may have been excessive, they hardly qualify as a national emergency equivalent to war.
Banning the National Assembly’s activities under martial law goes against the Constitution, which grants the legislature the authority to demand its termination. The decree’s inclusion of an order requiring doctors on strike to return to work within 48 hours and threatening penalties for noncompliance further underscores its outdated and legally questionable nature.
The National Assembly responded swiftly to an unprecedented martial law declaration, with both ruling and opposition parties joining forces to revoke it. Though shaken by the events, Korean citizens maintained composure and contributed to restoring constitutional order. This resilience shows the strength of the country’s democratic system.
The Democratic Party has demanded President Yoon’s immediate resignation and plans to file criminal charges against him, along with the defense and interior ministers, for rebellion. The party claims that imposing martial law and blocking lawmakers from entering the National Assembly was unconstitutional.
Six opposition parties, including the Democratic Party, filed an impeachment motion backed by all 191 members. The Democratic Party plans to put the motion into a vote on Dec. 6 or 7. For the motion to pass, at least eight PPP lawmakers must support it.
While the PPP has agreed to demand the entire cabinet’s resignation and the defense minister’s dismissal, it has yet to reach a consensus on the president’s impeachment.
The entire cabinet, led by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, offered their resignations. Senior officials, including the national security chief, policy chief, and presidential secretaries, have also announced their intention to resign. The current crisis, caused by the president’s reckless actions, leaves him with no option but to take full responsibility and resolve the situation.
As impeachment looms and calls for his resignation grow louder, President Yoon must be held accountable for his actions. He owes the Korean people an explanation behind his surprise martial law declaration and must offer a solution to address the fallout. Anything less would further erode public trust and deepen the nation’s political crisis.
