SEOUL – South Korea’s president early Wednesday lifted the martial law he had imposed on the country hours earlier, amid political pressure after a tense night in which the military surrounded parliament and lawmakers voted to reject military rule.
President Yoon Suk Yeol, who appeared to face impeachment for his actions, imposed martial law on Tuesday night to the dismay of the opposition, vowing to crack down on “anti-state” forces as they battled parliamentarians and accused them of sympathies. and Communist North Korea.
Police and soldiers were seen leaving the parliament grounds following the two-party vote to impeach the president, and the announcement was officially lifted at around 4:30 a.m. at a Cabinet meeting.
Parliament acted quickly after the imposition of martial law, with National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik declaring that the law was “illegal” and that lawmakers would “protect democracy and the people.”
In total, martial law was in effect for about six hours.
The president’s dramatic move harked back to an era of authoritarian leaders the country has not seen since the 1980s, and was immediately criticized by the opposition and Yoon’s party leader.
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the liberal Democratic Party, which holds a majority in the 300-seat parliament, said party lawmakers would remain in the Assembly’s main hall until Yoon formally issued his order.
Woo applauded how the soldiers quickly left the Assembly after voting.
“Even with our negative memories of the military coup, our citizens have seen today’s events and seen the maturity of our army,” Woo said.
While announcing his plan to lift martial law, Yoon continued to criticize the parliament’s efforts to impeach key government officials and senior prosecutors. He said the lawmakers have committed “unconscionable acts of manipulating the law and the budget that cripple the government’s operations.”
Jo Seung-lae, a Democratic Alliance lawmaker, said security camera footage following Yoon’s announcement showed soldiers moving in a manner that suggested they were trying to arrest Lee, Woo and Han Dong-hoon, leader of Yoon’s People Power Party.
Officials from Yoon’s office and the Defense Department did not respond to requests for comment early Wednesday.
It appears that hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the Assembly, holding up banners and calling for Yoon to be impeached.
Some protesters clashed with the military ahead of the lawmakers’ vote, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or major property damage. At least one window was broken as soldiers tried to enter the Assembly building. One woman tried but failed to pull a gun on one of the soldiers, while shouting “Aren’t you ashamed?”
Under South Korea’s constitution, the president can declare martial law during “time of war, war-like situations or other similar national emergencies” that require the use of military force to maintain peace and order. It was doubtful whether South Korea was currently in such a position.
When martial law is declared, “special measures” can be used to limit freedom of the press, freedom of association and other rights, and the power of the courts.
The constitution also states that the president must take responsibility if the National Assembly wants martial law to be lifted with a majority vote.
After Yoon’s declaration of martial law, South Korea’s military announced that parliament and other political gatherings that could cause “public confusion” would be suspended, South Korean news agency Yonhap said. The military said anyone who violates the law can be arrested without a warrant.
In Washington, the White House said the US was “deeply concerned” by the events in Seoul. A spokesman for the National Security Council said President Joe Biden’s administration was not notified in advance of the martial law declaration and was in contact with the South Korean government.
Pentagon spokesman Maj. General Pat Ryder said there was no effect on the more than 27,000 American service members stationed in South Korea.
South Korea’s military also said the country’s striking doctors must return to work within 48 hours, Yonhap said. Thousands of doctors have been on strike for months because of government plans to increase the number of students in medical schools.
Soon after martial law was declared, the speaker of parliament called on his YouTube channel for all lawmakers to gather in the National Assembly. He appealed to the military and law enforcement to “remain calm and hold their positions.”
All 190 lawmakers who participated in the vote supported the lifting of martial law.
At one point, television footage showed police closing the door to the National Assembly and helmeted soldiers with rifles in front of the building. An Associated Press photographer saw at least three helicopters, possibly military, arriving inside the Convention grounds, while two or three helicopters circled above the site.
Yoon’s Conservative Party leader called the decision to impose martial law “wrong.” Lee, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election, said Yoon’s announcement was “illegal and unconstitutional.”
Yoon said during a televised speech that martial law would help “rebuild and protect” the country from “falling into the depths of national ruin.” He said he would “eliminate pro-North Korea forces and protect the democratic order in the constitution.”
“I will eliminate the anti-government forces immediately and normalize the country,” he said, while asking people to believe in him and endure “some disruption.”
Yoon – whose approval rating has sunk in recent months – has struggled to push his agenda through the opposition-controlled parliament since taking office in 2022.
His party is at loggerheads with the opposition over next year’s budget bill. The opposition has also tried to censure three top prosecutors, including the head of Seoul’s prosecutor’s office, in what conservatives call a vendetta against their criminal investigation of Lee, who has emerged as a favorite in the upcoming presidential election. 2027 in opinion polls.
During his televised announcement, Yoon also described the protesters as “shameless pro-North Korea soldiers who are robbing the freedom and happiness of our citizens.” He did not elaborate.
Yoon has taken a hard line on North Korea over its nuclear ambitions, abandoning the policies of his liberal predecessor, Moon Jae-in, who pursued inter-Korean dialogue.
Yoon also dismissed calls for an independent investigation into scandals involving his wife and senior officials, drawing swift and strong rebuke from his political rivals.
Yoon’s move was the first declaration of martial law since the country’s 1987 democratization. The country’s last martial law was in October 1979, following the assassination of former military dictator Park Chung-hee.
Sydney Seiler, Korea chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the move was a sign for Yoon to express his frustration with the opposition-controlled parliament.
“He has nothing to lose,” Seiler said, comparing Yoon’s move to a Hail Mary in American football, with little chance of success.
Yoon now faces possible prosecution, which was a possibility before he made the bold move, Seiler said.
Natalia Slavney, a research analyst at the Stimson Center’s 38 North website that focuses on Korean affairs, said Yoon’s imposition of martial law is a “major setback for democracy” that follows a “worrying trend of abuse” since he took office in 2022.
South Korea “has a strong history of political diversity and is not known for many protests and quick impeachment,” Slavney said, citing the example of former first female President Park Geun-hye, the country’s first female president, who was ousted and imprisoned for the crime. bribery and other crimes in 2017.
-Associated Press writers Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea, and Matt Lee, Didi Tang and Tara Copp in Washington contributed to this report.
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