South Korea’s ruling People Power Party leader Han Dong-hun speaks during a news conference at the National Assembly in Seoul on Monday (December 16, 2024) to announce his resignation after President Yoon Suk Yeol’s parliamentary impeachment.
| Photo Credit: AP

South Korean law enforcement authorities are pushing to summon impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol for questioning over his short-lived martial law decree as the Constitutional Court began its first meeting Monday (December 16, 2024) on Mr. Yoon’s case to determine whether to remove him from office or reinstate him.

A joint investigative team involving police, an anti-corruption agency and the Defence Ministry said it plans to convey a request to Mr. Yoon’s office that he appear for questioning on Wednesday (December 11, 2024), as they expand a probe into whether his ill-conceived power grab amounted to rebellion.

Mr. Yoon was impeached by the opposition-controlled National Assembly on Saturday (December 14, 2024) over his Dec. 3 martial law decree. His presidential powers will be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether to formally remove him from office or reinstate him. If Mr. Yoon is dismissed, a national election to choose his successor must be held within 60 days.

Mr. Yoon has justified his martial law enforcement as a necessary act of governance against the main liberal opposition Democratic Party that he described as “anti-state forces” bogging down his agendas and vowed to “fight to the end” against efforts to remove him from office.

Hundreds of thousands of protesters have poured onto the streets of the country’s capital, Seoul, in recent days, calling for Mr. Yoon’s ouster and arrest.

It remains unclear whether Mr. Yoon will grant the request by investigators for an interview. South Korean prosecutors, who are pushing a separate investigation into the incident, also reportedly asked Mr. Yoon to appear at a prosecution office for questioning on Sunday (December 15, 2024) but he refused to do so. Repeated calls to a prosecutors’ office in Seoul were unanswered.

Mr. Yoon’s presidential security service has also resisted a police attempt to search Mr. Yoon’s office for evidence.

The request came before the Constitutional Court met Monday (December 16, 2024) to discuss the case. The court has up to 180 days to rule. But observers say that a court ruling could come faster.

In the case of parliamentary impeachments of past presidents – Roh Moo-hyun in 2004 and Park Geun-hye in 2016 – the court spent 63 days and 91 days respectively before determining to reinstate Roh and dismiss Park.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who became the country’s acting leader after Mr. Yoon’s impeachment, and other government officials have sought to reassure allies and markets after Mr. Yoon’s surprise stunt paralyzed politics, halted high-level diplomacy and complicated efforts to revive a faltering economy.

Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung urged the Constitutional Court to rule swiftly on Mr. Yoon’s impeachment and proposed a special council for policy cooperation between the government and parliament.

Lee, a firebrand lawmaker who drove a political offensive against Yoon’s government, is seen as the frontrunner to replace him. He lost the 2022 presidential election to Mr. Yoon by a razor-thin margin.

Kweon Seong-dong, floor leader of Mr. Yoon’s conservative People Power Party, separately criticized Lee’s proposal for the special council, saying that it’s “not right” for the opposition party to act like the ruling party.

Mr. Yoon’s impeachment, which was endorsed in parliament by some of his ruling People Power Party lawmakers, has created a deep rift within the party between Mr. Yoon’s loyalists and his opponents. On Monday (December 16, 2024), PPP chair Han Dong-hun, a strong critic of Mr. Yoon’s martial law, announced his resignation.

“If martial law had not been lifted that night, a bloody incident could have erupted that morning between the citizens who would have taken to the streets and our young soldiers,” Mr. Han told a news conference.

Mr. Yoon’s Dec. 3 imposition of martial law, the first of its kind in more than four decades, harkened back to an era of authoritarian leaders the country has not seen since the 1980s. Mr. Yoon was forced to lift his decree hours later after parliament unanimously voted to overturn it.

Mr. Yoon sent hundreds of troops and police officers to the parliament in an effort to stop the vote, but they withdrew after the parliament rejected Mr. Yoon’s decree. No major violence occurred.

Opposition parties have accused Mr. Yoon of rebellion. They say a president in South Korea is allowed to declare martial law only during wartime or similar emergencies and would have no right to suspend parliament’s operations even in those cases.

South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung speaks during a press conference on removal of President Yoon Suk Yeol from office, at the party office at the National Assembly building in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

South Korea’s Opposition leader offered on Sunday (December 15, 2024) to work with the government to ease the political tumult as officials sought to reassure allies and markets, a day after the Opposition-controlled Parliament voted to impeach conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol over a short-lived attempt to impose martial law.

Liberal Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, whose party holds a majority in the National Assembly, urged the constitutional court to rule swiftly on Mr. Yoon’s impeachment and proposed a special council for cooperation between the government and Parliament.

Mr. Yoon’s powers have been suspended until the court decides whether to remove him from office or reinstate him. If Mr. Yoon is dismissed, a national election to choose his successor must be held within 60 days.

Mr. Lee, who has led a fierce political offensive against Mr. Yoon’s embattled government, is seen as the frontrunner to replace him.

He told a televised news conference that a swift court ruling would be the only way to “minimise national confusion and the suffering of people.”

The court will meet to begin considering the case on Monday (December 16, 2024), and has up to 180 days to rule. But observers say that a court ruling could come faster. In the case of Parliamentary impeachments of past Presidents — Roh Moo-hyun in 2004 and Park Geun-hye in 2016, the court spent 63 days and 91 days respectively before determining to reinstate Roh and dismiss Mr. Park.

Mr. Lee also proposed a national council where the government and the National Assembly would work together to stabilise state affairs, and said his party won’t seek to impeach the Prime Minister, a Mr. Yoon appointee who’s now serving as acting President.

“The Democratic Party will actively cooperate with all parties to stabilize state affairs and restore international trust,” Mr. Lee said. “The National Assembly and government will work together to quickly resolve the crisis that has swept across the Republic of Korea.”

It wasn’t immediately clear how the governing People Power Party would react to Mr. Lee’s proposal. Kim Woong, a former PPP lawmaker, accused Mr. Lee of attempting to exert power over state affairs.

The Democratic Party has used its Parliamentary majority to impeach the Justice Minister and the chief of the national police over the martial law decree, and previously said it was also considering impeaching Prime Minister Han Duck-soo.

There was no immediate response from Mr. Han, a seasoned bureaucrat.

Upon assuming his role as acting leader, Mr. Han ordered the military to bolster its security posture to prevent North Korea from launching provocations. He also asked the Foreign Minister to inform other countries that South Korea’s major external policies will remain unchanged, and the Finance Minister to work to minimise potential negative impacts on the economy by the political turmoil.

On Sunday (Dec. 15), Mr. Han had a phone call with U.S. President Joe Biden, discussing the political situation in South Korea and regional security challenges including North Korea’s nuclear program. Mr. Biden expressed his appreciation for the resiliency of democracy in South Korea and reaffirmed “the ironclad commitment” of the United States, according to both governments.

Mr. Yoon’s Dec. 3 imposition of martial law, the first of its kind in more than four decades, lasted only six hours, but has caused massive political tumult, halted diplomatic activities and rattled financial markets. Mr. Yoon was forced to lift his decree after Parliament unanimously voted to overturn it.

Mr. Yoon sent hundreds of troops and police officers to the Parliament in an effort to stop the vote, but they withdrew after the Parliament rejected Mr. Yoon’s decree. No major violence occurred.

Opposition parties have accused Mr. Yoon of rebellion, saying a President in South Korea is allowed to declare martial law only during wartime or similar emergencies and would have no right to suspend Parliament’s operations even in those cases.

Mr. Yoon has rejected the charges and vowed to “fight to the end”. He said the deployment of troops to Parliament was aimed to issue a warning to the Democratic Party, which he called an “anti-state force” that abused its control of Parliament by holding up the government’s budget bill for next year and repeatedly pushing to impeach top officials.

Law enforcement institutions are investigating possible rebellion and other allegations. They’ve arrested Mr. Yoon’s Defence Minister and police chief and two other high-level figures.

Mr. Yoon has immunity from most criminal prosecution as President, but that doesn’t extend to allegations of rebellion or treason. He’s been banned from leaving South Korea, but observers doubt that authorities will detain him because of the potential for clashes with his Presidential security service.

Mr. Lee called for authorities to speed up their probes and said that an independent investigation by a special prosecutor should be launched as soon as possible. Last week, the National Assembly passed a law calling for an investigation led by a special prosecutor.

“Individuals and institutions involved in this act of rebellion should fully cooperate with the investigations,” Mr. Lee said.

U.S. President Joe Biden. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters

President Joe Biden underscored the strength of the U.S. relationship with South Korea during a call Saturday (December 15, 2024) with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who became acting president after the impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol.

“President Biden expressed his confidence that the Alliance will remain the linchpin for peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region during Acting President Han’s tenure,” the White House said in a readout of the call.

Also Read | South Korean police search President Yoon’s office over martial law imposition

“President Biden expressed his appreciation for the resiliency of democracy and the rule of law in the Republic of Korea and reaffirmed the ironclad commitment of the United States to the people of the Republic of Korea.”

South Korean lawmakers voted on Saturday to impeach Yoon over his brief declaration of martial law, which plunged the country into some of its worst political turmoil in decades.

Technocrat Han has stepped in as interim leader as a constitutional court deliberates over whether to permanently remove Yoon from office.

Seoul:

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who became South Korea’s acting president after Saturday’s impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol, is a career technocrat whose wide-ranging experience and reputation for rationality could serve him well in his latest role.

With parliament’s impeachment vote against Yoon passed after his short-lived attempt to impose martial law, Yoon is suspended from exercising presidential powers, and the constitution requires the prime minister to take over in an acting role.

In a country sharply divided by partisan rhetoric, Han has been a rare official whose varied career transcended party lines.

He faces a challenging task of keeping government functioning through its gravest political crisis in four decades, while also dealing with threats from nuclear-armed neighbour North Korea, and a slowing economy at home.

His tenure as acting president could also be threatened by criminal investigations into his role in the martial law decision.

Han, 75, has served in leadership positions for more than three decades under five different presidents, both conservative and liberal.

His roles have included ambassador to the United States, finance minister, trade minister, presidential secretary for policy coordination, prime minister, ambassador to the OECD, and head of various think-tanks and organisations.

With a Harvard doctorate in economics, Han’s expertise in the economy, trade and diplomacy as well as a reputation for rationality, moderate demeanour and hard work has made him a regular go-to man in South Korean politics.

Han has been prime minister since Yoon’s term began in 2022, his second time serving in the role after a stint as prime minister under former president Roh Moo-hyun in 2007-2008.

“He has served in key posts in state affairs solely through recognition of his skills and expertise, unrelated to political factions,” Yoon said when appointing Han in 2022, echoing words used to describe him when previous administrations tapped him for key positions.

“I think Han is the right candidate to carry out national affairs while overseeing and coordinating the Cabinet, with a wealth of experience that encompasses public and private sectors.”

Han has experience working with South Korea’s key ally the United States, having been deeply involved in the process of signing the US-South Korea Free Trade Agreement.

Fluent in English, he was appointed South Korea’s ambassador to the United States in 2009, working in Washington at a time when current US President Joe Biden was vice president, and contributed to Congress approving the Free Trade Agreement in 2011.

Han has also served as board member of S-Oil, a South Korean refining unit of Saudi Aramco.

“He is a civil servant through and through who didn’t take on a political colour despite working under (five presidents),” said a former high-ranking government official who declined to be identified.

Han’s role in leadership is expected to last for months until the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove Yoon or restore his powers. If Yoon is removed, a presidential election must be held in 60 days, until which Han will stay at the helm.

The main opposition Democratic Party has filed a complaint against Han to be included in the investigations for failing to block Yoon’s attempt at martial law.

If parliament decides to impeach Han, the finance minister is next in line among cabinet members to serve as acting president.

South Korea’s Constitution does not specify how much the prime minister is empowered to do in carrying out the leadership role.

Most scholars say the prime minister must exercise limited authority to the extent of preventing paralysis of state affairs and no more, although some say he can exercise all the powers of the president, as the constitution put no restrictions.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Seoul, South Korea:

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is facing a second impeachment vote on Saturday after his short-lived declaration of martial law last week.

He is far from the first South Korean president to see his rule descend into acrimony and scandal.  

Here is a look at the downfalls of previous South Korean leaders.

2016: Park impeached, jailed

In December 2016, Park Geun-hye, president since 2013, was impeached by Parliament in a decision confirmed in March 2017 by the Constitutional Court, leading to her indictment and imprisonment. 

The daughter of former dictator Park Chung-hee, she was the first woman president of South Korea and had presented herself as incorruptible. 

But she was accused of receiving or requesting tens of millions of dollars from conglomerates, including Samsung.

Additional accusations included sharing classified documents, putting artists critical of her policies on a “blacklist”, and dismissing officials who opposed her.

Park was sentenced in 2021 to 20 years in prison and slapped with heavy fines.

But at the end of that year, she was pardoned by her successor, Moon Jae-in. 

Yoon, the current president, was a Seoul prosecutor at the time and played a key role in her dismissal and subsequent incarceration.

Lee Myung-bak: 15 years in prison

In power from 2008 to 2013, Park’s conservative predecessor Lee Myung-bak was sentenced in October 2018 to 15 years in prison for corruption.

Most notably, he was found guilty of taking bribes from Samsung in exchange for favours to the conglomerate’s then chairman, Lee Kun-hee, who had been convicted of tax evasion.

The former leader was pardoned by President Yoon in December 2022.

Roh Moo-hyun: Suicide

President from 2003 to 2008 and a strong supporter of rapprochement with North Korea, liberal Roh Moo-hyun killed himself by jumping from a cliff in May 2009.

He had found himself the target of an investigation into the payment by a wealthy shoe manufacturer of one million dollars to his wife and five million to the husband of one of his nieces.

1987: Autocrat Chun retires

Military strongman Chun Doo-hwan, known as the “Butcher of Gwangju” for ordering his troops to put down an uprising against his rule in the southwestern city, agreed to step down in 1987 in the face of mass demonstrations.

He handed over power to his protege Roh Tae-woo.

Roh and Chun had been close for decades, first meeting as classmates at military academy during the Korean War.

In 1996, both men were convicted of treason over the 1979 coup that brought Chun to power, the 1980 Gwangju uprising, corruption, and other offences.

Roh was sentenced to 22.5 years in jail, which was reduced to 17 years, while Chun was condemned to death, a sentence commuted to life in prison. 

They were later granted amnesty in 1998 having spent just two years behind bars.

1979: Dictator Park assassinated

Park Chung-hee was assassinated in October 1979 by his own spy chief during a private dinner.

The events of that night have been long a subject of heated debate in South Korea, particularly over whether the murder was premeditated.

Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo, then army generals, took advantage of the political confusion to stage a coup in December 1979.

1961: Yun overthrown in a coup

President Yun Po-sun was overthrown in 1961 in a coup led by army officer Park Chung-hee.

Park kept Yun in his post but effectively took control of the government, then replaced him after winning an election in 1963. 

1960: Exile of first president

South Korea’s first president, Syngman Rhee, elected in 1948, was forced to resign by a popular student-led uprising in 1960, after attempting to extend his term through rigged elections. 

Rhee was forced into exile in Hawaii, where he died in 1965.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

A person pushes an effigy in a cage during a rally calling for the impeachment of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who declared martial law, which was reversed hours later, in Seoul, South Korea, December 12, 2024.
| Photo Credit: REUTERS

South Korea’s Parliament says the country’s six opposition parties have submitted a new joint motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his declaration of martial law.

The National Assembly said the main Opposition Democratic Party and five smaller Opposition parties submitted the impeachment motion on Thursday (December 12, 2024) afternoon.

The parties say they aim put the motion to a floor vote on Saturday (December 14, 2024).

Mr. Yoon’s short-lived Dec. 3 martial law declaration has triggered political chaos and large protests calling for his ouster. The Democratic Party has argued that Mr. Yoon’s decree amounted to rebellion.

Earlier Thursday, Mr. Yoon defended his decree as an act of governance and denied rebellion charges.

If Mr. Yoon is impeached, his presidential powers would be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove him from office or restore his powers. If he is dismissed, a new presidential election would be required within 60 days.

Seol:

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol will address the nation on Saturday morning, his office said, ahead of a planned impeachment vote over his attempt this week to impose martial law.

The speech would be the embattled leader’s first public appearance since he rescinded the martial law order early on Wednesday just six hours after it was declared, after parliament defied military and police cordons to vote against the decree.

On Friday the leader of Yoon’s own People Power Party said the president was a danger to the country and needed to be removed from power, increasing the pressure on him to quit even though PPP members later reaffirmed its formal opposition to his impeachment.

Lawmakers will vote on the main opposition Democratic Party’s motion to impeach Yoon, who shocked the nation late on Tuesday when he gave the military sweeping emergency powers in order to root out what he called “anti-state forces” and overcome obstructionist political opponents.

Some PPP members urged Yoon to resign before the vote, saying they did not want a repeat of the 2016 impeachment of then-President Park Geun-hye, who left office following months of candlelit protests over an influence-peddling scandal. Her downfall triggered the implosion of the party and a victory by liberals in presidential and general elections.

In scenes reminiscent of those protests, thousands of demonstrators holding candles assembled outside parliament on Friday night demanding Yoon’s impeachment.

More demonstrations are expected on Saturday ahead of the vote.

Prosecutors, the police and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials have all launched probes into Yoon and senior officials involved in the martial law decree, seeking to pursue charges of insurrection and abuse of power, among others.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Protesters are blocked by police officers as they try to march to the presidential office after a candlelight vigil against South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

South Korea’s President accepted the resignation of his Defence Minister on Thursday (December 5, 2024) as opposition parties moved to impeach both men over the stunning yet short-lived imposition of martial law that brought armed troops into Seoul streets.

The main opposition Democratic Party and other small opposition parties submitted a joint motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday over his martial law declaration the previous night. Martial law lasted about six hours, as the National Assembly quickly voted to overrule the President, forcing his Cabinet to lift it before daybreak Wednesday.

On Thursday, Mr. Yoon replaced Defence Minister Kim Yong Hyun with Choi Byung Hyuk, a retired four-star general who is South Korea’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Mr. Yoon’s office said.

It didn’t provide any further comments by Mr. Yoon. He hasn’t made any public appearances since he announced in a televised address that his government was lifting the martial law declaration.

The opposition parties earlier submitted a separate motion to impeach Mr. Kim, alleging he recommended Mr. Yoon impose martial law. On Wednesday, Mr. Kim offered to resign and apologised for causing disruption and concern to the public. Mr. Kim said “all troops who performed duties related to martial law were acting on my instructions, and all responsibility lies with me,” according to the Defence Ministry.

The impeachment motion on Mr. Yoon was introduced at a parliamentary plenary session early Thursday, meaning it can be put to a vote between Friday and Sunday. By law, the motion will be scrapped if it isn’t voted within 72 hours of its parliamentary introduction. Opposition parties can submit a new impeachment motion if the current one is scrapped or voted down, according to National Assembly officials.

Prospects for Mr. Yoon’s impeachment aren’t clear as Mr. Yoon’s ruling conservative People Power Party decided Thursday to oppose the motion’s passage. Choo Kyung-ho, the floor leader of the PPP, told reporters that his party would hold another meeting to determine how to oppose the motion’s passage. Observers say PPP members could simply boycott a floor vote or cast ballots against the motion.

Impeaching him would require support from two-thirds of the single-chamber National Assembly, or 200 of its 300 members. The opposition parties together have 192 seats and they need additional votes from the PPP. Some experts earlier said the motion will likely be passed through parliament as 18 PPP lawmakers, who belong to an anti-Yoon faction in the party, already voted down Mr. Yoon’s martial law decree together with opposition lawmakers.

But speaking to reporters Thursday, PPP leader Han Dong-hun, head of the anti-Yoon faction, said he would work to ensure that the impeachment motion doesn’t pass though he remains critical of Mr. Yoon’s action, which he described as “unconstitutional.” Han said that there is a need to “prevent damage to citizens and supporters caused by unprepared chaos.”

Experts say rival factions in PPP could unite not to repeat their traumatic experiences following the 2016 impeachment of scandal-ridden conservative President Park Geun-hye, which happened after some lawmakers at her own party voted to impeach her. Mr. Park was eventually removed from office and arrested in 2017, and the liberals easily won the presidency in a by-election as conservatives remained in disarray.

If Mr. Yoon is impeached, he will be deprived of his constitutional powers until the Constitutional Court rules. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who holds the No. 2 position in the South Korean government, would take over presidential responsibilities.

The impeachment motion on Mr. Yoon accuses him of attempting a “self-coup” by mobilising the military. It also says Mr. Yoon’s declaration failed to meet the constitutional requirements that such steps should only be considered in severe crisis situations. The motion also argues that his move to declare a suspension of political party activities and deploy troops in an attempt to seal the National Assembly amounted to rebellion.

Mr. Yoon’s martial law declaration, the first of its kind in more than 40 years, harkened back to South Korea’s past military-backed governments when authorities occasionally proclaimed martial law and other decrees that allowed them to station soldiers, tanks and armoured vehicles on streets or at public places such as schools to prevent anti-government demonstrations. Until Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, such scenes of military intervention had not been seen since South Korea achieved a democracy in the late 1980s.

After Mr. Yoon’s declaration, troops carrying full battle gear, including assault rifles, tried to keep protesters away from the National Assembly as military helicopters flew overhead and landed nearby.

It wasn’t clear how the 190 lawmakers were able to enter a parliamentary hall to vote down Mr. Yoon’s martial law decree. Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung and National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik were seen climbing over walls. As troops and police officers blocked some from entering, they didn’t aggressively restrain or use force against others.

People hold signs during a rally calling for the resignation of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, in Seoul, South Korea, December 4, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

South Korea’s main opposition party on Wednesday (December 4, 2024) urged President Yoon Suk Yeol to resign immediately or face impeachment, hours after Mr. Yoon ended short-lived martial law that prompted troops to encircle parliament before lawmakers voted to lift it.

Mr. Yoon didn’t make any immediate public response to the opposition’s demand. But his office said senior presidential advisers and secretaries for Mr. Yoon offered to resign collectively and the President also put off his official Wednesday morning schedule.

On Tuesday night, Mr. Yoon abruptly imposed the emergency martial law, vowing to eliminate “anti-state” forces after he struggled to push forward his agenda in the opposition-dominated parliament. But his martial law was effective for only about six hours, as the National Assembly voted to overrule the President. The declaration was formally lifted around 4:30 a.m. during a Cabinet meeting.

The liberal opposition Democratic Party, which holds a majority in the 300-seat parliament, said Wednesday that its lawmakers decided to call on Mr. Yoon to quit immediately or they would take steps to impeach him.

Also Read | Confusion, fear spread as South Korean leader declares martial law; here’s what to know

“President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration was a clear violation of the constitution. It didn’t abide by any requirements to declare it,” the Democratic Party said in a statement. “His martial law declaration was originally invalid and a grave violation of the constitution. It was a grave act of rebellion and provides perfect grounds for his impeachment.”

Impeaching him would require support from two-thirds of the parliament, or 200 of its 300 members. The Democratic Party and other small opposition parties together have 192 seats. But when the parliament rejected Mr. Yoon’s martial law declaration in a 190-0 vote, about 10 lawmakers from Yoon’s ruling People Power Party cast ballots supporting the rejection, according to National Assembly officials.

If Mr. Yoon is impeached, he’ll be stripped of his constitutional powers until the Constitutional Court can rule on his fate. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, the No. 2 position in the South Korean government, would take over his presidential responsibilities.

Mr. Yoon’s martial law declaration, the first of its kind in more than 40 years, harkened to South Korea’s past military-backed governments when authorities occasionally proclaimed martial law and other decrees that allowed them to station combat soldiers, tanks and armoured vehicles on streets or at public places like schools to prevent anti-government demonstrations. Such scenes of military intervention had not been seen since South Korea achieved a genuine democracy in the late 1980s until Tuesday night.

After Mr. Yoon’s declaration, troops carrying rifles and police officers were quickly deployed at parliament to ban the entrance of people, as protesters crowded outside the parliamentary compound. An Associated Press photographer saw at least three helicopters, likely from the military, that landed inside the Assembly grounds, while two or three helicopters circled above the site.

No major violence has been reported. The troops and police personnel were later seen leaving the ground of the National Assembly after the parliamentary vote to lift the martial law. National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik said: “Even with our unfortunate memories of military coups, our citizens have surely observed the events of today and saw the maturity of our military.”

Ruling People Power Party Han Dong-hun demanded that Yoon explain his decision and fire Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun, who he said recommended the martial law decree to Yoon. The Defense Ministry has not commented.

Under South Korea’s constitution, the President can declare martial law during “wartime, war-like situations or other comparable national emergency states” that require the use of military force to restrict the freedom of press, assembly and other rights to maintain order. Many observers question whether South Korea is currently in such a state.

The constitution also states that the president must oblige when the National Assembly demands the lifting of martial law with a majority vote.

White House ‘concerned’

In Washington, the White House said the U.S. was “seriously concerned” by the events in Seoul. A spokesperson for the National Security Council said President Joe Biden’s administration was not notified in advance of the martial law announcement and was in contact with the South Korean government.

Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said there was no effect on the more than 27,000 U.S. service members based in South Korea.

Mr. Yoon’s government and ruling party have been embroiled in an impasse with the Democratic Party over next year’s budget bill and a Democratic Party-led attempt to to impeach three top prosecutors.

During his televised announcement, Mr. Yoon also described the opposition as “shameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces who are plundering the freedom and happiness of our citizens.” He did not elaborate. North Korea has no immediate comments.

Natalia Slavney, research analyst at the Stimson Center’s 38 North website that focuses on Korean affairs, said Yoon’s imposition of martial law was “a serious backslide of democracy” that followed a “worrying trend of abuse” since he took office in 2022.

South Korea “has a robust history of political pluralism and is no stranger to mass protests and swift impeachments,” Slavney said, citing the example of former President Park Geun-hye, who was ousted from office and imprisoned for bribery and other crimes in 2017. She was later pardoned.