SEOUL, South Korea — On Saturday, the South Korean National Assembly voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol due to his controversial declaration of martial law, a move that has sent shockwaves through the nation’s political landscape, disrupted foreign relations, and unsettled the financial markets. This impeachment is reminiscent of the 2017 removal of former President Park Geun-hye, who faced impeachment charges that resulted in her ousting by the Constitutional Court.
Yoon, who previously worked as a public prosecutor, was part of the investigative team that looked into the allegations against Park. Now, he faces serious charges concerning his recent actions, with the Constitutional Court set to determine whether his attempt to claim emergency powers constitutes a rebellion against the state.
The events unfolded rapidly starting on Dec. 3. President Yoon announced a surprise martial law decree during a televised address, labeling the opposition-governed parliament as a “den of criminals” and asserting that his political adversaries were damaging the nation and siding with North Korea. Despite the gravity of his assertions, he failed to provide concrete evidence to support his claims, prompting immediate backlash from the opposition Democratic Party, which called for an emergency meeting.
As proceedings escalated, troops surrounded the National Assembly to thwart lawmakers’ attempts to convene. Amid the turmoil, the Democratic Party’s leader, Lee Jae-myung, broadcasted a live stream urging supporters to gather at the Assembly to assist lawmakers in breaking through the military blockade, even posting footage of himself scaling a fence.
The following morning, despite military attempts to assert control, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik utilized his YouTube channel to announce plans for a constitutional response to Yoon’s declaration. Woo, who also climbed over barriers, successfully convened a session where the Assembly voted unanimously to lift martial law, with 190 lawmakers in agreement, including members of Yoon’s own party. By 4:30 a.m., the martial law was officially rescinded.
In the aftermath, the opposition parties promptly moved to impeach Yoon, condemning his actions as a severe breach of the constitution that strictly limits the president’s ability to impose emergency powers. They described his declaration as a “grave act of rebellion,” providing grounds for impeachment.
On Dec. 5, Yoon dismissed his Defense Minister, Kim Yong Hyun, who was believed to have suggested the martial law declaration. Despite Han Dong-hun, the leader of Yoon’s party, criticizing the martial law as “unconstitutional,” he initially intended to oppose the impeachment motion. However, by Dec. 6, Han had a change of heart, expressing concerns that Yoon’s continued presidency could pose significant risks to national security due to the potential for further extreme measures.
Rumors surfaced of Yoon possibly instructing military commanders to detain opposition figures under the cloak of martial law. Opposition leader Lee questioned Yoon’s mental state and pledged to expedite his impeachment. As tensions escalated, Yoon offered an apology, promising not to evade accountability for his actions yet survived an impeachment vote which the ruling party largely boycotted.
The situation intensified over the subsequent days. On Dec. 8, prosecutors detained the former defense minister for his role in the martial law declaration, and on Dec. 9, the Justice Ministry restricted Yoon from traveling abroad as investigations into allegations of rebellion commenced. On Dec. 10, a military commander revealed that he received orders to prevent lawmakers from entering the National Assembly, and on Dec. 11, Yoon’s former defense minister was arrested for colluding in the martial law enforcement.
By Dec. 12, Yoon defended his actions as legitimate governance while denying any rebellion allegations. Opposition parties proceeded to submit a new impeachment motion, crossing party lines to advance their agenda. A vote took place on Dec. 14, where the Assembly voted 204-85 in favor of impeachment. Yoon accused the opposition of attempting to destabilize governance and vowed to fight against the charges, leaving his future in the hands of the Constitutional Court, which will ultimately determine if he remains in office or is removed.
