South Korea president lifts martial law following unanimous parliamentary opposition News
AnbyG, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
South Korea president lifts martial law following unanimous parliamentary opposition

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol announced Tuesday that he would lift martial law and that troops deployed following the shocking declaration would be withdrawn, succumbing to united Parliamentary and public pressure against the declaration.

President Yoon declared martial law during a televised address on Tuesday, justifying the drastic measure on the grounds that it was necessary “to protect the free Republic of Korea from the threat of North Korean communist forces,” which he attributed to his political opponents. South Korea’s military forces were immediately deployed to the streets, preventing entrance to Parliament. During an emergency parliamentary session, the National Assembly united to denounce the decree, producing a unanimous majority of 190-0 votes in favor of lifting martial law. Under the Martial Law Act, martial law is required to be lifted without delay as soon as requested by the National Assembly. South Korean soldiers and police were receptive to the unanimous vote and vacated Parliament.

The solidarity behind the opposition has been reflected in the actions of broad sectors of the people of South Korea, who gathered outside the National Assembly parliament and marched through the streets to protest the declaration of martial law, as well as assisting parliament members to climb over fences and enter National Assembly and vote on the decree.

South Korea’s main opposition party, the Democratic Party, maintains calls that President Yoon must step down on the grounds of sedition. Party leader Lee Jae-Myung described the decree as “illegal and unconstitutional” on the basis that it was not made after a resolution by the State Council. Furthermore, Lee claimed that the National Assembly’s subsequent resolution to lift martial law affirmed the unconstitutionality and invalidity of President Yoon’s decree. “[M]artial law was originally invalid, and the National Assembly’s resolution has once against confirmed its invalidity,” Lee said.

The world has been inspired by the collective solidarity of the South Korean people against wilful efforts to impose military governance without the democratic sanction of the people. Meanwhile, the future of President Yoon remains uncertain as calls continue for his arrest and impeachment.

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