Why Did South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol Declare The 6-Hour Emergency Martial Law?
Around 10:25 PM on December 3, 2024 (KST), South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared on national television and declared “martial law” for the first time since 1979. For the next six hours, Koreans remained awake and alert through the night, watching the chaos unfold and bracing for the worst.
It was at 4:30 AM on December 4, 2024 (KST), soon after 190 of the 190 attending National Assembly members voted to block martial law, when President Yoon accepted the parliament’s decision, withdrew the military forces, and presided over a Cabinet meeting to approve the resolution to revoke martial law.
Considering the current political landscape in Korea, where the Democratic and other parties —referred to as the yadang or the “opposition party” as a whole—hold a whopping majority of 190 out of the 300 seats in the National Assembly, it might have been “a losing battle from the start,” according to Money Today.
So then, why did President Yoon declare martial law and what is going to happen next?
When declaring martial law, President Yoon cited “pro-North, anti-state forces” as the problem and claimed he will “rebuild and defend the free Republic of Korea” from such forces “plundering the freedom and happiness of the people.”
Dear citizens. I hereby declare martial law to protect the free Republic of Korea from the threats posed by the North Korean communist forces and to eradicate the shameless pro-North, anti-state forces that are plundering the freedom and happiness of our people. This measure is taken to uphold the order of our free constitutional system.
Through this martial law, I will rebuild and defend the free Republic of Korea, which is teetering on the brink of ruin. To this end, I pledge to thoroughly eliminate the anti-state forces that have persistently engaged in destructive acts against our nation. This is an unavoidable step to safeguard the freedom and security of our people, ensure the sustainability of our nation against subversive threats, and pass on a proper country to future generations.
I will work swiftly to eradicate these anti-state forces and restore normalcy to the nation. While this declaration of martial law may cause inconvenience to law-abiding citizens who uphold the values of the Constitution, I will do my utmost to minimize these disruptions.
This measure is essential for ensuring the enduring continuity of the free Republic of Korea. It does not alter our commitment to contributing to and upholding our responsibilities in the international community.
As your President, I earnestly appeal to you. I place my trust solely in you, the people, and I will dedicate my entire being to defending the free Republic of Korea. Please believe in me. Thank you.
— President Yoon Suk Yeol
Who are the “pro-North, anti-state forces,” though? According to BBC Korea, President Yoon has taken on a much tougher stance on North Korea compared to previous presidents, and he has often referred to the opposition party as “pro-North” without providing specific evidence.
BBC Korea also pointed out that since April 2024, when the opposition party secured a sweeping victory in the general elections, President Yoon has been “in a de facto ‘lame-duck’ state.” So, when Yoon expressed dissatisfaction toward the opposition party again in his statement addressing the nation as he lifted martial law, the motivation became rather clear.
I urge the National Assembly to immediately cease the reckless acts of paralyzing state functions through repeated impeachments, legislative manipulation, and budget obstruction.
— President Yoon Suk Yeol
In his lame-duck state, President Yoon and his administration have been unable to pass any of their desired legislation—which he called “legislative manipulation.” In addition, as of Late November 2024, the opposition party proposed a bill to significantly cut the government’s budget—a type of legislation the president cannot veto. This, he referred to as “budget obstruction.”
Most importantly, as President Yoon’s approval rating plummeted amid his multiple corruption scandals—including the one surrounding the First Lady and her Dior bag, the opposition party pursued fierce impeachment proceedings against President Yoon’s line of prosecutors, Cabinet members, and other key personnel for failing to investigate the scandals.
In other words, based on the statements and previous struggles that his administration was facing, BBC Korea reported that “President Yoon had taken this extreme measure in response to a series of political failures.”
Experts suggest that President Yoon was driven into a situation where he had no choice but to invoke martial law, a form of military governance, as a tactic to defend against political attacks.
— BBC Korea
Now that his “extreme measure” has fallen apart, what will happen to President Yoon?
Money Today noted that, although President Yoon accepted the National Assembly’s demand to lift martial law, the aftermath of his declaration is expected to be unfathomable.
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The opposition party has since claimed that President Yoon’s declaration of martial law should be subject to charges of “rebellion,” an act of armed resistance against the authority of the state. According to Article 60 of the South Korean Constitution, the president is not subject to criminal prosecution during their term except in cases of rebellion or treason. Therefore, if the charge of rebellion is applied to President Yoon, even a sitting president could face prosecution and punishment. For rebellion, the penalty can include the death sentence, life imprisonment, or imprisonment for more than five years.
Even if such a charge is not applied, it is highly likely President Yoon will face impeachment proceedings. As of December 4, 2024, the “Yoon Suk Yeol Impeachment Coalition of National Assembly Members” announced plans to initiate a motion for impeachment against President Yoon. According to The JoongAng, the Impeachment Coalition held a press conference at the National Assembly on the same day and stated, “President Yoon has opened the door to impeachment himself,” adding, “Now, impeachment of President Yoon has become something that must be done.”
We will push forward with the impeachment motion and prepare for what comes after impeachment swiftly. Due to the reckless declaration of martial law, the Yoon administration is now over. The president and those around him have clearly shown how unconstitutional and anti-democratic they are.
— Yoon Suk Yeol Impeachment Coalition of National Assembly Members
