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| Why did South Korea's leader declare martial law - and what now? | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Lawmakers hold placards reading "Yoon Suk Yeol should resign" on 4 December | |
| South Korea's president shocked the country on Tuesday night when, out of the blue, he declared martial law in the Asian democracy for the first time in nearly 50 years. | South Korea's president shocked the country on Tuesday night when, out of the blue, he declared martial law in the Asian democracy for the first time in nearly 50 years. |
| Yoon Suk Yeol's drastic decision - announced in a late-night TV broadcast - mentioned "anti-state forces" and the threat from North Korea. | |
| But it soon became clear that it not been spurred by external threats but by his own desperate political troubles. | But it soon became clear that it not been spurred by external threats but by his own desperate political troubles. |
| Still, it prompted thousands of people to gather at parliament in protest, while opposition lawmakers rushed there to push through an emergency vote to remove the measure. | Still, it prompted thousands of people to gather at parliament in protest, while opposition lawmakers rushed there to push through an emergency vote to remove the measure. |
| Defeated, Yoon emerged a few hours later to accept the parliament's vote and lift the martial law order. | Defeated, Yoon emerged a few hours later to accept the parliament's vote and lift the martial law order. |
| Now, he faces the prospect of possible impeachment and even expulsion from his own party. | |
| Follow what is happening in South Korea live | Follow what is happening in South Korea live |
| What is martial law and why has it been declared? | What is martial law and why has it been declared? |
| Watch: Moment president declares martial law | |
| How did it all unfold? | How did it all unfold? |
| Yoon has acted like a president under siege, observers say. | Yoon has acted like a president under siege, observers say. |
| In his address on Tuesday night, he recounted the political opposition's attempts to undermine his government before saying he was declaring martial law to "crush anti-state forces that have been wreaking havoc". | In his address on Tuesday night, he recounted the political opposition's attempts to undermine his government before saying he was declaring martial law to "crush anti-state forces that have been wreaking havoc". |
| His decree temporarily put the military in charge - with helmeted troops and police deployed to the National Assembly parliament building where helicopters were seen landing on the roof. | His decree temporarily put the military in charge - with helmeted troops and police deployed to the National Assembly parliament building where helicopters were seen landing on the roof. |
| Local media also showed scenes of masked, gun-toting troops entering the building while staffers tried to hold them off with fire extinguishers. | Local media also showed scenes of masked, gun-toting troops entering the building while staffers tried to hold them off with fire extinguishers. |
| Around 23:00 local time on Tuesday (14:00 GMT), the military issued a decree banning protests and activity by parliament and political groups, and putting the media under government control. | Around 23:00 local time on Tuesday (14:00 GMT), the military issued a decree banning protests and activity by parliament and political groups, and putting the media under government control. |
| But South Korean politicians immediately called Yoon's declaration illegal and unconstitutional. The leader of his own party, the conservative People's Power Party, also called Yoon's act "the wrong move". | But South Korean politicians immediately called Yoon's declaration illegal and unconstitutional. The leader of his own party, the conservative People's Power Party, also called Yoon's act "the wrong move". |
| Meanwhile, the leader of the country's largest opposition party, Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party, called on his MPs to converge on parliament to vote down the declaration. | Meanwhile, the leader of the country's largest opposition party, Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party, called on his MPs to converge on parliament to vote down the declaration. |
| He also called on ordinary South Koreans to show up at parliament in protest. | He also called on ordinary South Koreans to show up at parliament in protest. |
| "Tanks, armoured personnel carriers and soldiers with guns and knives will rule the country... My fellow citizens, please come to the National Assembly.” | "Tanks, armoured personnel carriers and soldiers with guns and knives will rule the country... My fellow citizens, please come to the National Assembly.” |
| Thousands heeded the call, rushing to gather outside the now heavily guarded parliament. Protesters chanted: "No martial law!" and "strike down dictatorship". | |
| Local media broadcasting from the site showed some scuffles between protesters and police at the gates. But despite the military presence, tensions did not escalate into violence. | Local media broadcasting from the site showed some scuffles between protesters and police at the gates. But despite the military presence, tensions did not escalate into violence. |
| And lawmakers were also able to make their way around the barricades - even climbing fences to make it to the voting chamber. | |
| Shortly after 01:00 on Wednesday, South Korea's parliament, with 190 of its 300 members present, voted down the measure. President Yoon's declaration of martial law was ruled invalid. | Shortly after 01:00 on Wednesday, South Korea's parliament, with 190 of its 300 members present, voted down the measure. President Yoon's declaration of martial law was ruled invalid. |
| South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declaring martial law in a national address on Tuesday night | South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declaring martial law in a national address on Tuesday night |
| How significant is martial law? | How significant is martial law? |
| Martial law is temporary rule by military authorities in a time of emergency, when civil authorities are deemed unable to function. | Martial law is temporary rule by military authorities in a time of emergency, when civil authorities are deemed unable to function. |
| The last time it was declared in South Korea was in 1979, when the country's then long-term military dictator Park Chung-hee was assassinated during a coup. | The last time it was declared in South Korea was in 1979, when the country's then long-term military dictator Park Chung-hee was assassinated during a coup. |
| It has never been invoked since the country became a parliamentary democracy in 1987. | It has never been invoked since the country became a parliamentary democracy in 1987. |
| But on Tuesday, Yoon pulled that trigger, saying in a national address he was trying to save South Korea from "anti-state forces". | But on Tuesday, Yoon pulled that trigger, saying in a national address he was trying to save South Korea from "anti-state forces". |
| Yoon, who has taken a noticeably more hardline stance on North Korea than his predecessors, described the political opposition as North Korea sympathisers - without providing evidence. | Yoon, who has taken a noticeably more hardline stance on North Korea than his predecessors, described the political opposition as North Korea sympathisers - without providing evidence. |
| Under martial law, extra powers are given to the military and there is often a suspension of civil rights for citizens and rule of law standards and protections. | Under martial law, extra powers are given to the military and there is often a suspension of civil rights for citizens and rule of law standards and protections. |
| Despite the military announcing restrictions on political activity and the media, protesters and politicians defied those orders. And there was no sign of the government seizing control of free media - Yonhap, the national broadcaster, and other outlets kept reporting as normal. | |
| South Korea's parliament met shortly after Yoon's declaration to block the martial law measure | South Korea's parliament met shortly after Yoon's declaration to block the martial law measure |
| Why was Yoon feeling pressured? | Why was Yoon feeling pressured? |
| Yoon was voted into office in May 2022 as a hardline conservative, but has been a lame duck president since April when the opposition won a landslide in the country's general election. | Yoon was voted into office in May 2022 as a hardline conservative, but has been a lame duck president since April when the opposition won a landslide in the country's general election. |
| His government since then has not been able to pass the bills they wanted and have been reduced instead to vetoing bills passed by the liberal opposition. | His government since then has not been able to pass the bills they wanted and have been reduced instead to vetoing bills passed by the liberal opposition. |
| He has also seen a fall in approval ratings - hovering around lows of 17% - as he has been mired in several corruption scandals this year, including one involving the First Lady accepting a Dior bag, and another around alleged stock manipulation. | |
| Just last month he was forced to issue an apology on national TV, saying he was setting up an office overseeing the First Lady's duties. But he rejected a wider investigation, which opposition parties had been calling for. | Just last month he was forced to issue an apology on national TV, saying he was setting up an office overseeing the First Lady's duties. But he rejected a wider investigation, which opposition parties had been calling for. |
| Then this week, the opposition proposed slashing a major government budget bill - which cannot be vetoed. | Then this week, the opposition proposed slashing a major government budget bill - which cannot be vetoed. |
| At the same time, the opposition also moved to impeach cabinet members and several top prosecutors- including the head of the government's audit agency - for failing to investigate the First Lady. | At the same time, the opposition also moved to impeach cabinet members and several top prosecutors- including the head of the government's audit agency - for failing to investigate the First Lady. |
| Many citizens turned out outside parliament on Tuesday night to protest against the sudden martial law declaration. Mass protests are a frequent and common political event in the country. | Many citizens turned out outside parliament on Tuesday night to protest against the sudden martial law declaration. Mass protests are a frequent and common political event in the country. |
| The leader of a key opposition party, the Democratic Party, addressing media after parliament voted down martial law on Wednesday morning | |
| What now? | What now? |
| Yoon's declaration caught many off guard and for a period of six hours South Koreans were in a state of confusion as to what the martial law order meant. | Yoon's declaration caught many off guard and for a period of six hours South Koreans were in a state of confusion as to what the martial law order meant. |
| But the opposition was able to congregate quickly at parliament and had the numbers to vote down the declaration along with some members of Yoon's ruling People's Power party. | |
| And despite the heavy presence of troops and police in the capital, a takeover by the military did not materialise. | |
| Under South Korean law, the government must lift martial law if a majority in parliament demands it in a vote. | Under South Korean law, the government must lift martial law if a majority in parliament demands it in a vote. |
| The same law also prohibits martial law command from arresting lawmakers. | The same law also prohibits martial law command from arresting lawmakers. |
| It's unclear what happens now and what the consequences will be for Yoon. | |
| There are reports that lawmakers are moving to impeach him as president. | |
| A relatively straightforward process, this would require more than two-thirds of the 300-member National Assembly voting to impeach - at least 201 votes. | |
| Once the impeachment is approved, a trial is held before the Constitutional Court - a nine-member council that oversees South Korea's branches of government. | |
| If six of the court's members vote to sustain the impeachment, the president is removed from office. | |
| If this happens, it wouldn't be the first time that a South Korean president has been impeached. In 2016, then-President Park Geun-hye was impeached after being accused of helping a friend commit extortion. | |
| In 2004 another president, Roh Moo-hyun, was impeached and suspended for two months. The Constitutional Court later restored him to office. | |
| Yoon's rash action has stunned the country - which views itself as a thriving, modern democracy that has come far since its dictatorship days. | |
| This is being viewed as the biggest challenge to that democratic society in decades. | This is being viewed as the biggest challenge to that democratic society in decades. |
| Experts contend it may be more damaging to South Korea's reputation as a democracy than even the 6 January riots in the US. | Experts contend it may be more damaging to South Korea's reputation as a democracy than even the 6 January riots in the US. |
| "Yoon’s declaration of martial law appeared to be both legal overreach and a political miscalculation, unnecessarily risking South Korea’s economy and security," one expert, Leif-Eric Easley at Ewha University in Seoul said. | "Yoon’s declaration of martial law appeared to be both legal overreach and a political miscalculation, unnecessarily risking South Korea’s economy and security," one expert, Leif-Eric Easley at Ewha University in Seoul said. |
| "He sounded like a politician under siege, making a desperate move against mounting scandals, institutional obstruction and calls for impeachment, all of which are now likely to intensify." | "He sounded like a politician under siege, making a desperate move against mounting scandals, institutional obstruction and calls for impeachment, all of which are now likely to intensify." |