South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol proclaimed martial law on Tuesday, December 3, a decision immediately contested by a vote in the National Assembly, where the opposition is in the majority and in front of which demonstrators gathered at his call. The army, however, warned that it would enforce martial law until it was lifted by the president, who had not yet reacted Tuesday evening. “To protect liberal South Korea from the threats posed by the North Korean communist forces and eliminate elements hostile to the State (…), I declare martial law,” the president declared live in a surprise televised address early Tuesday evening. Martial law has not been imposed in South Korea since the democratization process began in the late 1980s. Popular protest South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung called martial law “illegal” and called on the population to gather in front of Parliament in protest. “President Yoon Suk Yeol’s illegal imposition of martial law is invalid,” said Mr Lee, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 election. “Come to the National Assembly now. I am going there too,” he added. Hundreds of people heeded his call, flocking to Parliament from 1 a.m. (4 p.m. GMT), chanting “Stop Yoon Suk Yeol “. “At first I thought it was bogus information, I couldn’t believe in martial law. Afterwards, I decided to come here to protect democracy, not only for us but also for our children,” Lee Jin-hwa, 48, told Agence France-Presse in the crowd. Institutional tension Some 190 MPs are managed to enter the Assembly, after being briefly prevented by soldiers who eventually left the premises. They voted unanimously in favor of a motion blocking the application of martial law and calling for its lifting. “Of the 190 deputies present, 190 spoke in favor of the resolution calling for the lifting of martial law, which is therefore adopted,” said National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik. “The army will enforce martial law until it is lifted by the president,” the general staff immediately reacted according to local media. The United States and the United Kingdom expressed their concern, while China called on his fellow citizens in South Korea to be “cautious”. “We are observing recent developments with great concern” in South Korea, said Kurt Campbell, deputy US secretary of state. “We hope and expect that political differences will be resolved peacefully and with respect for the rule of law.”“Forces hostile to the state”Opposition deputies approved last week, through a committee, a significantly reduced budget program. “Our National Assembly has become a refuge for criminals, a den of legislative dictatorship that seeks to paralyze the administrative and judicial systems and overthrow our liberal democratic order,” President Yoon said to justify the establishment of martial law. He went on to characterize the opposition, which holds a majority in Parliament, as “anti-state forces intent on overthrowing the regime.” Martial law had not been imposed in South Korea since the process. of democratization initiated at the end of the 1980s, including during periods of high tensions, such as in 2016, when millions of demonstrators obtained the dismissal of President Park Geun-Hye, amid a corruption scandal. It was last decreed on May 17, 1980, during the military coup of General Chun Doo-hwan. The next day, hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of Gwangju (Southwest), high traditional place of protest, to protest against the coup d’état. Mr. Chun wanted to fill the power vacuum after the assassination of dictator Park Chung-hee. The demonstrations were repressed in a bloodbath. Martial law was lifted in January 1981.
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