South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law late Tuesday, following which the National Assembly voted unanimously to nullify the martial law decree.
According to details, Woo Won Shik, the parliamentary speaker, deemed the declaration “invalid” and called on police and military forces to leave the assembly grounds.
“Lawmakers will protect democracy with the people,” Woo asserted.
Footage showed soldiers and police withdrawing from the site, where they had earlier blocked access to the Assembly.
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Helicopters were also seen circling and landing on the premises. Protesters gathered outside, waving banners and demanding Yoon’s impeachment.
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the opposition Democratic Party, criticized Yoon’s move as “illegal and unconstitutional.”
Lee pledged to defend the nation’s democracy alongside his party’s lawmakers, who vowed to remain in the Assembly’s main hall until the order was formally rescinded.
The military, acting under Yoon’s martial law decree, had earlier announced the suspension of political gatherings and ordered striking doctors to return to work within 48 hours, warning violators of arrests without warrants.
Thousands of doctors have been striking over plans to expand medical school enrollments.
Criticism also came from within Yoon’s conservative People Power Party. Party leader Han Dong-hoon called the decision “wrong” and promised to oppose it alongside the people.
Yoon justified his action during a televised address, describing opposition lawmakers as “pro-North Korean anti-state forces” and asserting that the decree aimed to “normalize the country.”
He appealed for public patience amid potential disruptions, emphasising the need to protect the nation from “falling into ruin.”
This declaration marked South Korea’s first martial law since democratisation in 1987.
Parliament’s unanimous vote, supported by all 190 lawmakers present, underscored the opposition’s resolve against Yoon’s administration, which has faced declining approval ratings and legislative gridlock since he took office in 2022.
