Why did the president of South Korea suddenly declare martial law

South Korea’s president shocked the country on Tuesday night when, out of the blue, he declared martial law in the Asian democracy for the first time in nearly 50 years.

Yoon Suk Yeol’s bold decision – announced on late night TV – spoke of “anti-state forces” and the threat from North Korea.

But it soon became clear that it was not motivated by external threats but by his difficult political problems.

Still, it prompted thousands of people to gather in parliament to protest, while opposition lawmakers rushed there to push for an emergency vote to remove the measure.

Defeated, Yoon appeared a few hours later to accept the parliament’s vote and lift the military order.

Now, he faces the possibility of impeachment and expulsion from his team.

Yoon has acted like a president under siege, observers say.

In his speech on Tuesday night, he recounted efforts by the opposition to undermine his government before declaring martial law to “crush anti-government forces that are causing havoc”.

His law temporarily put the military in place – as helmeted soldiers and police officers were deployed to the National Assembly building where helicopters could be seen landing on the roof.

Local media also showed scenes of masked soldiers armed with guns entering the building while workers tried to stop them with fire extinguishers.

At around 23:00 local time on Tuesday (14:00 GMT), the military issued a decree banning demonstrations and activities by parliament and political parties, as well as placing the media under government control.

But South Korean politicians quickly called Yoon’s announcement illegal and unconstitutional. The leader of his party, the conservative People’s Power Party, also called Yoon’s action a “wrong move”.

Meanwhile, the leader of the main opposition party in the country, Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party, asked his members of Parliament to gather in parliament to vote down the declaration.

He also called on ordinary South Koreans to come to the parliament in protest.

“Tanks, armored personnel carriers and soldiers with guns and knives will rule the country… My people, please come to the National Assembly.”

Thousands heeded the call, rushing to gather outside the now heavily guarded parliament. The protesters chanted: “No martial law!” and “beat down the dictatorship”.

Media coverage of the area showed clashes between protesters and police at the gates. But despite the presence of the military, the tension did not escalate into violence.

And the legislators were able to circumvent the restrictions – even climbing the fence to enter the polling booth.

Shortly after 01:00 on Wednesday, South Korea’s parliament, with 190 of its 300 members present, voted down the measure. President Yoon’s declaration of martial law was deemed invalid.

Martial law is a temporary rule by military authorities during an emergency, when the authorities are deemed unable to act.

It was last announced in South Korea in 1979, when the country’s then military dictator Park Chung-hee was killed in a coup.

It has not been used since the country became a parliamentary democracy in 1987.

But on Tuesday, Yoon retracted that, saying in a state of the nation address that he was trying to save South Korea from “anti-state forces”.

Yoon, who has taken a more critical stance on North Korea than his predecessors, described the political opposition as sympathetic to North Korea – without providing evidence.

Under martial law, additional powers are given to the military as well often the establishment of civil rights of citizens and standards of law and protection.

Despite the military announcing restrictions on political and media activities, protesters and politicians ignored those orders. And there were no signs of the government taking control of the free media – Yonhap, the national broadcaster, and other channels have been reporting as usual.

Yoon was voted into office in May 2022 as a hardliner, but has been a crippled president since April when the opposition won a landslide victory in the country’s general election.

His government has since been unable to pass the bills they wanted and they have instead been reduced to ballot measures that have been passed liberal opposition.

He also saw a drop in approval ratings – up about 17% – as he has been involved in many corruption scandals this year, including one that affects this one The First Lady accepting the Dior bagand more about stock manipulation.

Just last month he was forced to issue an apology on national televisionsaying that he is opening an office in charge of the duties of the First Lady. But he refused a thorough investigation, which the opposition parties have been demanding.

This week, the opposition proposed cuts to the government’s biggest budget bill – which cannot be blocked.

At the same time, the opposition also blamed Cabinet members and several senior prosecutors – including the head of the government’s audit agency – for failing to investigate the First Lady.

Yoon’s announcement caught many off guard and for six hours the people of South Korea were in a state of confusion as to what martial law meant.

But the opposition was able to rally quickly in parliament and had the numbers to vote down the announcement along with other members of Yoon’s ruling People’s Power party.

And despite a heavy military and police presence in the capital, the military took over.

Under South Korean law, the government must impose martial law if a majority in parliament calls for it in a vote.

This same law also prevents the military command from arresting law-makers.

It is not clear what is happening now and what the consequences will be for Yoon.

There are reports that members of the law are going to impeach him as president.

A relatively straightforward process, this will require more than two-thirds of the members of the National Assembly of 300 members to vote against it – at least 201 votes.

Once approved, the case is heard in the Constitutional Court – the nine-member council that oversees South Korea’s branches of government.

If six members of the court vote in favor of the case, the president is removed from office.

If this happens, it would not be the first time that the president of South Korea has been prosecuted. In 2016, then-President Park Geun-hye was indicted after being accused of helping her friend commit fraud.

In 2004 another president, Roh Moo-hyun, was impeached and suspended for two months. In time, the Constitutional Court reinstated him.

This is Yoon’s place the rash act stunned the country – which sees itself as a thriving, modern democracy that has come a long way from its authoritarian days.

This is seen as the biggest challenge to that democratic society in decades.

Experts argue that it could do more damage to South Korea’s image as a democracy than even the January 6 riots in the US.

“Yoon’s declaration of martial law appeared to be a legal abuse and a political incoherence, unnecessarily risking South Korea’s economy and security,” said another expert, Leif-Eric Easley of Ewha University in Seoul.

“He sounded like a politician under siege, trying to combat ongoing scandals, institutional disruption and calls for impeachment, all of which are likely to escalate.”