On Tuesday night, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law and triggered a political crisis. Hours later, he was forced to walk back the declaration. Here’s what you need to know as the fallout continues throughout the afternoon:
Yoon made the declaration in a live televised address, vowing to eradicate “shameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces” and said he had no choice but to take the measure to safeguard constitutional order.
Tuesday’s move was the first time since 1980 that martial law has been declared in South Korea.
The country’s National Assembly passed a motion to lift the martial law declaration within hours of its announcement, and Yoon’s national cabinet honoured that vote early on Wednesday morning.
South Korean troops sent to the National Assembly building have been withdrawn, and the command to enforce the martial law declaration has been disbanded.
Yoon is now facing widespread calls to resign, with members of South Korea’s main opposition political party also calling for him to be impeached or face treason charges.
Protesters have returned to the National Assembly building in Seoul to issue further demands for the president’s resignation.
Thanks for joining us as we wrap up our live coverage of events in South Korea for today. Read North Asia correspondent Lisa Visentin’s analysis here for the latest on the situation.
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Why was martial law declared in South Korea and what happens next?
By Riley Walter
Just hours after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, he was forced by the country’s lawmakers to sensationally backflip on the move. Here’s what the political crisis means and what happens next.
What happened in South Korea overnight?
In an announcement broadcast on live television on Tuesday night, Yoon declared martial law for the first time in South Korea since 1980, vowing to eradicate “shameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces”. He added that he had no choice but to take the measure to safeguard constitutional order.
The decision triggered immediate chaos and upheaval in the South Korean capital, Seoul. Thousands of protesters rallied outside the National Assembly building as troops descended on parliament to enforce the edict.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on Tuesday night.Credit: AP
Images from Seoul showed violent clashes between troops and protesters, including one video broadcast by a local media outlet, OhmyTV, which showed a woman grabbing a soldier’s gun and trying to take it from him before being pushed aside. In another video that has since gone viral, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, Lee Jae-myung, filmed himself climbing the fence of the parliament compound in a desperate rush to lead a vote overturning the martial law declaration.
Despite authorities’ efforts to block their access, members of parliament were able to enter the National Assembly building, where all 190 of the 300 elected politicians in attendance voted to scrap the declaration just hours after it was announced. Under South Korean law, Yoon was required to honour the vote and lift the declaration when his national cabinet convened.
About 4.30am local time (6.30am AEDT) the cabinet passed a motion to have the declaration scrapped.
“I declared emergency martial law at 11pm last night as an act of national resolve against the anti-state forces that are trying to paralyse the essential functions of the state and disrupt the constitutional order of our liberal democracy,” The New York Times reported Yoon as saying earlier on Wednesday morning.
“However, a short time ago, the National Assembly demanded that martial law be lifted, so I withdrew the military forces that had been deployed to carry out martial law. I will lift martial law as soon as we have a quorum in the cabinet. It’s early in the morning, so we don’t have a quorum yet.
“But I call on the National Assembly to immediately stop the outrageous behaviour that is paralysing the functioning of the country with impeachments, legislative manipulation and budget manipulation.”
Protesters call for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment.Credit: Bloomberg
What happens now?
The fallout of Yoon’s declaration has continued on Wednesday morning, with calls from South Korea’s opposition for the president to resign or be impeached.
Democratic Party of Korea MP Park Chan Dae said in a statement that even though martial law was lifted, the president “cannot avoid treason charges”.
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“It was clearly revealed to the entire nation that President Yoon could no longer run the country normally. He should step down.”
Yoon can be impeached if two-thirds of the lawmakers in the National Assembly vote in favour of the move. Thousands of people have attended rallies in recent months, calling for his impeachment and accusing him of incompetence, corruption and abuse of power, The New York Times reports.
The chaos that descended on the National Assembly building on Tuesday night has largely calmed, but some protesters have returned to parliament demanding Yoon be removed from power. Barricades erected to block entry into the National Assembly building were removed on Wednesday morning.
“Arrest Yoon Suk Yeol,” protesters could be heard chanting in a video published by The New York Times.
South Korean opposition calls for president’s resignation, treason charges
By Riley Walter
South Korea’s opposition is calling for President Yoon Suk Yeol to resign or be impeached after plunging the country into political chaos when he declared martial law, only to backflip on the move hours later.
Democratic Party of Korea MP Park Chan-dae said in a statement that even though martial law was lifted, the president “cannot avoid treason charges”.
“It was clearly revealed to the entire nation that President Yoon could no longer run the country normally. He should step down.”
Park’s calls echoed Opposition Leader Lee Jae-myung’s earlier condemnation of the declaration.
Reuters
South Korea travel advice updated amid political crisis
By Josefine Ganko
The Department of Foreign Affairs has updated the official travel advice for South Korea amid an unfolding political crisis sparked by President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law.
An update published to Smartraveller warned Australians to avoid protests.
The update reads:
The situation in South Korea is evolving due to developments in domestic politics. Avoid protests and demonstrations.
Sites like Gwanghwamun Square and Yeouido in Seoul may have larger crowds and more protest activity than usual. Transport and other essential services may be disrupted. Monitor the media for updates and follow the advice of local authorities.”
The Australian Embassy in Seoul is open but not currently offering in-person services. Anyone needing consular assistance should contact the Consular Emergency Centre on 1300 555 135 in Australia or +61 2 6261 3305 outside Australia.
The overall travel advice for South Korea is still set at “Exercise normal safety precautions”.
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South Korean opposition leader films himself jumping parliament fence
By Riley Walter
The leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, the opposition party in South Korea, livestreamed himself jumping a fence to enter parliament and vote down President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration.
In footage posted to social media, Lee Jae Myung filmed his dramatic entry into the National Assembly building as protesters and politicians tried to force their way through military blockades.
Lee, who narrowly lost the 2022 presidential election, was last month handed a suspended prison after the Seoul Central District Court ruled he made a false statement while denying corruption allegations during a presidential campaign. He told reporters at the time that he planned to appeal against the one-year prison term, which was suspended for two years.
Lee survived an assassination attempt in January, during which he was stabbed in the neck while visiting the city of Busan.
Jung Su Yeon, who works for the Democratic Party of Korea, crawled through the legs of South Korean troops and police officers and into parliament on her hands and knees, The Telegraph reported.
South Korean lawmakers gather at the National Assembly building.Credit: Getty Images
“The MPs and their secretaries all jumped the walls to get inside, but there were still police [there] and a fight broke out. I managed to crawl between the legs of a policeman,” she told The Telegraph.
“Paratroopers tried to break into the building, so we fought back by spraying fire extinguishers… they were fully armed, so we were worried that there might be bloodshed,” she said.
“There were some injured people in the process, some with broken glasses and some people fell to the ground.”
AP, Reuters
The unpopularity of President Yoon Suk Yeol and his party
President Yoon Suk Yeol’s ruling conservative People Power Party suffered a heavy loss in April’s general election as the main opposition, the Democratic Party of Korea, took 175 out of the 300 seats in the National Assembly.
The Democratic Party clashed with Yoon over budgets and investigations into Yoon’s wife and top officials.
President Yoon Suk Yeol has responded to criticisms by declaring them fake news, filing more defamation cases than other recent presidents and in some cases restricting media access.Credit: AP
In November, Yoon denied wrongdoing in an influence-peddling scandal involving him and his wife that has driven his approval ratings to record lows.
Yoon has responded to criticisms by declaring them fake news, filing more defamation cases than other recent presidents and in some cases restricting media access.
In some cases, he claimed “pro-North Korean” or “anti-state” forces were behind criticism of him - language he used on Tuesday to justify his martial law order.
“The forces of communist totalitarianism have disguised themselves as democracy activists, human rights advocates and progressive activists,” Yoon said in a speech last year.
Reuters
Martial law in South Korea lifted, MP vows to impeach president
By Riley Walter
Martial law in South Korea has been lifted just hours after President Yoon Suk Yeol made the declaration, sparking upheaval in the capital, Seoul, according to local media reports.
Seoul-based news outlet Yonhap reported that South Korea’s national cabinet on Wednesday morning approved a motion to end the martial law declaration about six hours after it was made.
National Assembly staff and troops clashed inside the building.Credit: AP
South Korean troops, mobilised to enforce the declaration, were withdrawn after the cabinet met. Yoon backed down from the declaration after protesters gathered, calling for the president’s resignation
“I declared emergency martial law at 11pm last night as an act of national resolve against the anti-state forces that are trying to paralyse the essential functions of the state and disrupt the constitutional order of our liberal democracy,” The New York Times reported Yoon as saying earlier on Wednesday morning.
“However, a short time ago, the National Assembly demanded that martial law be lifted, so I withdrew the military forces that had been deployed to carry out martial law. I will lift martial law as soon as we have a quorum in the cabinet. It’s early in the morning, so we don’t have a quorum yet.
“But I call on the National Assembly to immediately stop the outrageous behaviour that is paralysing the functioning of the country with impeachments, legislative manipulation and budget manipulation.”
Cho Kuk, head of a minor opposition party, met protesters outside parliament and said: “This isn’t over. He put all the people in shock.”
He vowed to impeach Yoon by putting together votes from other parties.
Reuters
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Australians in South Korea warned to stay away from mass gatherings
By Josefine Ganko
Australians in South Korea should stay away from mass gatherings and listen to official advice amid the unfolding political crisis, says Finance Minister Katy Gallagher.
Gallagher told ABC News Breakfast there was lots of “uncertainty” around President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law, which was walked back early this morning.
People gathered outside the National Assembly building in Seoul protesting the martial law declaration.Credit: Getty Images
She said the government had been briefed by the relevant agencies.
“I think that the best message that we can give on this unfolding situation is for any Australians in South Korea to really listen to official advice and stay away from some of the mass gatherings as we continue to get across and understand the full implications of what’s happened overnight.”
In pictures: Seoul descends into chaos after martial law declaration
By Riley Walter
The first declaration of martial law in South Korea in almost 50 years sparked chaos in the country’s capital, Seoul, as thousands gathered to protest the move outside parliament and troops descended on the National Assembly building.
Footage captured by a South Korean media outlet, OhmyTV, shows a woman tussling with a soldier as she attempts to take his gun before being pushed aside.
South Korean troops try to enter the National Assembly building.Credit: Getty Images
Other footage circulating online shows troops smashing windows of the National Assembly building to gain access after President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration.
Yoon Suk Yeol says martial law declaration will be lifted
By Riley Walter
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol says he will soon move to lift the martial law declaration imposed on Tuesday night, honouring a parliamentary vote against the measure.
Yoon said his government had withdrawn military personnel that had been deployed, and that he would formally lift martial law following a cabinet meeting “as soon as members arrive”. It is just before 5am local time in Seoul, South Korea’s capital.
Yoon declared martial law on Tuesday to thwart “anti-state forces” among his opponents. But outraged MPs rejected the decree, as protesters gathered outside parliament in the country’s biggest political crisis in decades.
Protesters gathered outside the National Assembly building in Seoul after the martial law declaration.Credit: AP
Yoon’s surprise declaration, which he cast as aimed at his political foes, was unanimously voted down by 190 MPs. Under South Korean law, the president must immediately lift martial law if parliament demands it by a majority vote. His own party urged him to lift the decree.
The crisis in a country that has been a democracy since the 1980s, and is a US ally and major Asian economy, caused international alarm.
