South Korea lifts martial law as impeachment calls against President Yoon intensify

South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol lifted martial law on Wednesday morning, less than 12 hours after declaring it in a move that shocked the nation. The announcement came after the National Assembly unanimously voted to reject the measure, forcing Yoon to backtrack amidst growing protests and political backlash.

“After the National Assembly’s demand to lift martial law, martial law troops have been withdrawn. I will accept the National Assembly’s demand and lift martial law through a cabinet meeting,” Yoon said in a statement released by his office.

All 190 lawmakers present in the National Assembly chamber late Tuesday night voted to nullify the order, describing the decision as a rare moment of unity across political lines. Many lawmakers called the declaration “unconstitutional” and “a betrayal of democracy.”

우원식 의장

계엄법 4조 1항에 대통령이 계엄을 선포하였을 때에는 지체 없이 국회에 통고(通告)하여야 한다고 돼있다.
그러나 국회에 통고가 없었기 대통령측의 귀책사유다. 그래서 그냥 진행하겠다. pic.twitter.com/cwoPh5t4rB

— 𝓡𝓪𝓸𝓷𝓝𝓾𝓻𝓲™ (@moolpang) December 3, 2024

Growing impeachment movement

A group of 40 opposition lawmakers is preparing to submit a formal bill to impeach Yoon, Yonhap reported. The Democratic Party, South Korea’s main opposition bloc, has accused the president of undermining democratic institutions and has demanded his immediate resignation.

“It was clearly revealed to the entire nation that President Yoon could no longer run the country normally. He should step down,” said Park Chan-dae, a senior member of the Democratic Party, in a statement quoted by Reuters.

Some lawmakers in Yoon’s ruling People Power Party (PPP) are also distancing themselves from the president. PPP leader Han Dong-hoon convened an emergency meeting on Wednesday morning, where party officials discussed urging Yoon to leave the party to protect its reputation.

“The declaration of martial law was an unfortunate and unnecessary mistake,” Han said, according to Yonhap. He added that the party would work to rebuild public trust and prevent a similar situation from recurring.

Holding three seats in South Korea’s National Assembly, the Progressive Party’s Gangwon branch strongly denounced President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration, calling it an act of desperation by a regime on the brink of collapse.

In a statement, the party accused Yoon and his administration of attempting to crush South Korea’s democratic institutions by deploying martial law forces to block the National Assembly and undermine the legislative process.

“The Yoon administration sought to trample on democracy with the boots of the martial law forces,” the statement read. “This was not just a reactionary coup attempt—it was a direct attack on the democratic values that the people of South Korea have fought so hard to achieve.”

The Progressive Party pledged to defend the nation’s democratic system, which it described as “won through bloodshed,” and vowed to mobilise against what it called “Yoon’s coup attempt.” The party called for the president’s immediate resignation, labelling him unfit to govern.

“We will not allow a president who betrays democracy to remain in office. Yoon must step down, and his co-conspirators must face justice for their actions,” the party stated, adding that South Korea’s democracy must not be allowed to regress under his leadership.

“윤석열 대통령은 이제 우리나라의 대통령이 아닙니다.“ 비상계엄 해제 국회 의결 직후 진보당 입장 발표 pic.twitter.com/qsJsuHXqlL

— 진보당 (@thejinboparty_) December 3, 2024

Public outrage and protests

Protests erupted across South Korea late Tuesday night and continued into Wednesday morning as news of Yoon’s martial law order spread. Demonstrators in Seoul braved subzero temperatures, gathering outside the National Assembly to demand the president’s resignation.

“Arrest Yoon Suk-yeol,” chanted protesters holding signs denouncing the president’s actions.

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), the nation’s largest labour union, announced a nationwide strike in response to the declaration. The union’s 1 million members were urged to gather in major cities, including Seoul, to protest what the KCTU described as a “crime of insurrection.”

“Yoon Suk-yeol has chosen the irrational and anti-democratic method of martial law to extend his political life as he has been driven to the edge,” the union said in a statement posted on Facebook. “The people will not forgive this. They remember the fate of regimes that declared martial law.”

Military response and government fallout

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), General Kim Seung-kyum, held an emergency meeting on Wednesday morning with key commanders, Yonhap reported. He urged the military to maintain its readiness posture against North Korea while focusing on its constitutional duty to protect citizens.

Yonhap also reported that several senior members of Yoon’s administration, including Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun, are facing calls to resign. Critics allege that Kim played a pivotal role in recommending the martial law declaration.

Additionally, sources close to the presidential office told Yonhap that Yoon’s staff had offered to resign en masse to take responsibility for the crisis.

The resignations include Chung Jin-suk, the presidential chief of staff; National Security Adviser Shin Won-sik; and Sung Tae-yoon, chief of staff for policy. Seven other senior aides have also offered to resign, according to a statement from the presidential office reported by Yonhap News Agency.

“The president’s decision to declare martial law created unnecessary political and public turmoil,” a source within the presidential office told Yonhap. “These resignations reflect the senior leadership’s acknowledgment of accountability.”

Historical parallels and lingering uncertainty

The declaration of martial law has drawn comparisons to South Korea’s tumultuous past under military rule, particularly the authoritarian regimes of the 1970s and 1980s. Social media users shared their disbelief, with one commenter writing, “I didn’t expect to see martial law in real life.”

While schools, government offices, and businesses resumed normal operations on Wednesday morning, protests have continued outside the National Assembly. Opposition leaders and demonstrators are pressing for swift impeachment proceedings, signalling ongoing political uncertainty.

For now, Yoon’s lifting of martial law has calmed immediate tensions, but his presidency faces an uncertain future as impeachment looms and public discontent grows.