President Yoon Suk Yeol’s effort to establish martial law on December 3 marked the height of the crisis surrounding his administration. Yoon defended his choice by saying it was required to combat domestic political backing for North Korea. As a result, opposition parties, political analysts, and the general public, strongly condemned his conduct, accusing him of insurrection and carelessly endangering national security.
President Yoon Suk Yeol faced impeachment after he lifted a brief martial law that led to troops encircling the parliament before MPs voted to lift it. On Wednesday, opposition parties in South Korea filed a resolution to impeach Yeol. Yoon’s Defence Minister Kim Yong-Hyun is said to be influential in the President’s martial law plan offered his resignation on Wednesday too.
Reminiscent of South Korea’s previous military-backed regimes, when officials periodically declared martial law and other decrees that permitted them to station combat troops, tanks, and armored vehicles on the streets or in public areas like schools to crush anti-government protests. This was the first of its kind in over 40 years.
Two-thirds of Parliament would need to approve the resolution to impeach Yoon, and at least six justices of the Constitutional Court would also need to endorse it. Five smaller opposition parties and the main opposition Democratic Party jointly presented the resolution, which could be put to a vote as early as Friday.
