Martial Law imposed and revoked In South Korea after public protest

In a fast-changing political situation in South Korea, President Yoon Suk Yeol imposed “martial law” in the country on the night of 3rd December 2024 and had to rescind his declaration after the South Korean Parliament passed a resolution against it in the early morning of 4 December 2024. 

Since its establishment in 1948, the Republic of Korea, or South Korea, has been mostly under military rule until the establishment of the current democratic system in 1987.

Martial Law in South Korea has been imposed 16 times, and the last one was imposed in 1979 when the military dictator and President of South Korea, Park Chun Hee, was assassinated in 1979.

Since the establishment of the present constitutional system in 1987, this was the first instance of martial law being imposed in the country.

What is Martial Law?

Martial law refers to the suspension of the country’s constitution and the replacement of civilian rule with military rule. 

Martial law is also called an ‘emergency’ in which the existing laws, fundamental rights of the citizen, civil authority, and the ordinary administration of justice are suspended.

Almost every constitution provides for martial law. In India, martial law is called an emergency, and it was last imposed in 1975 by the Indira Gandhi government.

Why did President Yoon impose the Martial Law? 

President Yoon Suk Yeol, who assumed office in May 2022, imposed martial law in the country in a television address, accusing the opposition parties of sympathising with North Korea and paralysing the government with anti-state activities.  

After the end of the Second World War, the Korean peninsula was divided into the Republic of Korea(South Korea) and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea).

South Korea supported the United States, and other Western countries fought a bloody civil war with communist North Korea supported by China and the Soviet Union. 

In 1953, a United Nations-supervised armistice was negotiated between the two countries, and a demilitarised zone was established between them, which has become their de facto border.

Both countries have not signed a peace treaty and are technically at war.

Reaction to Martial Law and its revocation 

In the 2024 National Assembly election of the country, the opposition parties won a landslide victory.  President Yoon Suk Yeol's ruling People’s Power Party was reduced to a minority in the Korean Parliament.

• Since then, the President has been unable to pass his legislation in the South Korean Parliament and has consistently vetoed the bills passed by the opposition.
• He was referring to this when he spoke about the opposition having “paralysed state affairs”.
• Since 2022, he and his wife have been embroiled in several scandals, and opposition parties are demanding an investigation against his wife on corruption charges.
• Due to corruption charges, his popularity rating has declined considerably in the country.

After the announcement of martial law, the President's own party, the People’s Power Party, disapproved of his move to impose martial law.

The leader of the country’s largest opposition party, Democratic Party leader Lee Myung, reached the National Assembly with his member of parliament, and thousands of people gathered there, demanding an end to martial law.

The National Assembly convened in the early hours of 4 December 2024, and a resolution against martial law was passed by a majority.

After the parliament passed the resolution and faced with public anger, the President revoked martial law on the morning of 4 December, 2024.

About the National Assembly of South Korea

• South Korea has a unicameral legislature called the National Assembly.
• The National Assembly has 300 members who are elected for a four-year term through a combination of direct and indirect elections.
• The President of South Korea is elected by the people directly for a term of five years.

About the Republic of Korea or South Korea 

It formally came into existence in August 1948.

It is a highly industrialised country in Asia and a member of the OECD(Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development).

Capital: Seoul

Currency: South Korean Won

President: Yoon Suk Yeol