South Korea is in the midst of a political crisis after President Eun Suk Yeol declared martial law on Tuesday – a shock move that sparked mass protests and a sharp rebuke from the country’s parliament.
Although Yun said he would reverse his announcement, it is unlikely to end South Korea’s political problems, which extend beyond Tuesday’s state of emergency.
Yun first made the announcement during a televised announcement Tuesday night local time, claiming that his government’s opposition party “coups” and “attempts to overthrow free democracies“Perhaps in reference to the political impasse between himself and parliament that has prevented him from formulating his agenda. Despite that ongoing impasse, the move to declare martial law surprised Yun’s political opponents, allies, the South Korean public and the world.
Shortly after Yun’s announcement, South Korea’s parliament, known as the National Assembly, met to unanimously vote on the martial law decree.
There is no reason to impose martial law. We cannot allow military rule in this country,” opposition leader Lee Jae-myung said on Tuesday. “President Yoon Suk Yeol has betrayed the people. President Yoon’s illegal declaration of martial law is null and void.” Martial law usually suspends civilian government and rule by military decree in a major emergency such as an acute armed conflict.
Despite Yun’s promise to withdraw his declaration, the country remains in limbo. What comes next is unclear.
Here’s what you need to know.
Why the president issued martial law?
Yun only spoke in broad strokes about his decision. However, it is possible that his declaration was influenced by him Public support is decliningPolitical complications, and an ongoing moral investigation into his wife The handbag was allegedly an inappropriate gift.
Conservative Yun is in the second year of his five-year term; His approval rating has plummeted during his tenure 20 percentage points. He is too Deadlock in the National Assemblywhich is controlled by the centre-left Democratic Party on its political agenda.
Celeste Arrington, director of the George Washington Institute for Korean Studies, told Vox that Yun is “definitely unpopular and frustrated by his inability to do politics.”
“[Yoon] “An unprecedented number of presidents have used vetoes” to try to advance his agenda, Arrington said. “He’s also launched politically motivated lawsuits by the opposition. Meanwhile, the opposition has tried to impeach dozens of members of this administration and opened investigations against the first lady. So this [political battle] Back and forth and back and back, there was the building.”
Yun clearly claimed that North Korean elements played a role in his decision to declare martial law, although there is no real evidence that North Korea played a role in the current crisis. Instead, his reference to North Korea may refer to major political divisions between the country’s two main parties over whether and how to engage with their authoritarian and belligerent northern neighbor.
What does martial law in South Korea include?
Under martial lawthe The executive branch was allowed to take control of the mediaand Yoon ordered the country’s medical staffThose who had been on strike for most of the year, returned to work within 48 hours. it is The extent to which these measures were implemented is not clear.
Apart from this, political activities including meetings and gatherings of political parties are supposed to be closed. This was apparently ignored: the National Assembly met, and protests continued throughout the night.
Armed guards surrounded the National Assembly building on Tuesday night; 190 members of the 300-member body appeared to unanimously reject the measure, some scaling the fence around the building to do so. The Wall Street Journal Report
What has been the reaction?
Yun’s announcement is almost done Universally unpopular within South Korea. Citizens protested – and even clashed with security forces.
Both opposition leaders and leaders of Yun’s own party condemned Yun’s decision. “This is an illegal, unconstitutional declaration of martial law that does not meet the requirements,” said Han Dong-hun, former justice minister and leader of Yun’s People Power Party. “South Korea is a democratic country. We will defend democracy alongside our citizens.”
The United States, South Korea’s longtime ally, said it was unaware of Yun’s announcement before it came.
“We expect any political disputes to be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law.” US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said this on Tuesday.
What next?
Yun said he would lift the martial law declaration in accordance with the National Assembly’s vote, as constitutionally required. The cabinet agreed to lift the order on Wednesday morning local time and the protesters began to disperse.
However, this is not the end of the crisis, Gee-wook Shin, director of Stanford University’s Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center, told Vox.
“The decision [to declare martial law] It appears to be an attempt to assert authority in a climate where his favorability is waning, but it is essentially political suicide because it risks being seen as an excess of power and he could face impeachment,” Shin said.
In fact, one opposition lawmaker from a small party already has called for Yun’s impeachment.
Whatever happens with Yun, polarization between the two major parties and high levels of public dissatisfaction with politics remain, Arrington told Vox.
“Neither party is particularly popular, with low public trust in both conservatives and progressives,” he said. “There is deep disappointment in the way democratic institutions are functioning, particularly in political parties and the National Assembly.” And ending the martial law crisis does nothing to change that reality.
