SEOUL, South Korea (AP) \u2014 South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said early Wednesday that he would soon lift the martial law he imposed during a tense night of political drama in which troops surrounded parliament and lawmakers voted to reject military rule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yoon said his government had withdrawn the military personnel that had been deployed, and that he would formally lift martial law following a Cabinet meeting as \u201csoon as members arrive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yoon had declared martial law late Tuesday, vowing to eliminate \u201canti-state\u201d forces as he struggles against an opposition that controls the country\u2019s parliament and that he accuses of sympathizing with communist North Korea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Less than three hours later, parliament voted to lift the declaration, with National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik declaring that the martial law was \u201cinvalid\u201d and that lawmakers \u201cwill protect democracy with the people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The president\u2019s surprising move harkened back to an era of authoritarian leaders that the country has not seen since the 1980s, and it was immediately denounced by the opposition and the leader of Yoon\u2019s own party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Police and military personnel were seen leaving the Assembly\u2019s grounds after Woo called for their withdrawal. Lee Jae-myung, leader of the liberal Democratic Party, which holds the majority in the 300-seat parliament, said the party\u2019s lawmakers will remain in the Assembly\u2019s main hall until Yoon formally lifts his order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDemocratic Party lawmakers, including me and many others, will protect our country\u2019s democracy and future and public safety, lives and properties, with our own lives,\u201d Lee told reporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jo Seung-lae, a Democratic lawmaker, claimed that security camera footage following Yoon\u2019s declaration showed that troops moved in a way that suggested they were trying to arrest Lee, Woo and even Han Dong-hoon, the leader of Yoon\u2019s People Power Party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Officials from Yoon\u2019s office and the Defense Ministry did not respond to requests for comment early Wednesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Seemingly hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the Assembly, waving banners and calling for Yoon\u2019s impeachment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some protesters scuffled with troops ahead of the lawmakers\u2019 vote, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or major property damage. At least one window was broken as troops attempted to enter the Assembly building. One woman tried unsuccessfully to pull a rifle away from one of the soldiers, while shouting \u201cAren\u2019t you embarrassed!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under South Korea\u2019s constitution, the president can declare martial law during \u201cwartime, war-like situations or other comparable national emergency states\u201d that require the use of military force to maintain peace and order. It was questionable whether South Korea is currently in such a state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When martial law is declared, \u201cspecial measures\u201d can be employed to restrict the freedom of press, freedom of assembly and other rights, as well as the power of courts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The constitution also states that the president must oblige when the National Assembly demands the lifting of martial law with a majority vote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Following Yoon\u2019s announcement, South Korea\u2019s military proclaimed that parliament and other political gatherings that could cause \u201csocial confusion\u201d would be suspended, South Korea\u2019s Yonhap news agency said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Washington, the White House said the U.S. was \u201cseriously concerned\u201d by the events in Seoul. A spokesperson for the National Security Council said President Joe Biden\u2019s administration was not notified in advance of the martial law announcement and was in contact with the South Korean government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking at an event with Japan\u2019s ambassador to Washington, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, a longtime Asia diplomat, reiterated that the U.S.-South Korea alliance is \u201cironclad\u201d and the U.S. would \u201cstand by Korea in their time of uncertainty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI also want to just underscore that we have every hope and expectation that any political disputes will be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law,\u201d Campbell said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The South Korean military also said that the country\u2019s striking doctors should return to work within 48 hours, Yonhap said. Thousands of doctors have been striking for months over government plans to expand the number of students at medical schools. The military said anyone who violates the decree could be arrested without a warrant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Soon after the declaration, the parliament speaker called on his YouTube channel for all lawmakers to gather at the National Assembly. He urged military and law enforcement personnel to \u201cremain calm and hold their positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All 190 lawmakers who participated in the vote supported the lifting of martial law. Television footage showed soldiers who had been stationed at parliament leaving the site after the vote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hours earlier, TV showed police officers blocking the entrance of the National Assembly and helmeted soldiers carrying rifles in front of the building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An Associated Press photographer saw at least three helicopters, likely from the military, that landed inside the Assembly grounds, while two or three helicopters circled above the site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The leader of Yoon\u2019s conservative People Power Party, Han Dong-hoon, called the decision to impose martial law \u201cwrong\u201d and vowed to \u201cstop it with the people.\u201d Lee, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election, called Yoon\u2019s announcement \u201cillegal and unconstitutional.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yoon said during a televised speech that martial law would help \u201crebuild and protect\u201d the country from \u201cfalling into the depths of national ruin.\u201d He said he would \u201ceradicate pro-North Korean forces and protect the constitutional democratic order.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI will eliminate anti-state forces as quickly as possible and normalize the country,\u201d he said, while asking the people to believe in him and tolerate \u201csome inconveniences.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yoon \u2014 whose approval rating has dipped in recent months \u2014 has struggled to push his agenda against an opposition-controlled parliament since taking office in 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yoon\u2019s party has been locked in an impasse with the liberal opposition over next year\u2019s budget bill. The opposition has also attempted to pass motions to impeach three top prosecutors, including the chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors\u2019 Office, in what the conservatives have called a vendetta against their criminal investigations of Lee, who has been seen as the favorite for the next presidential election in 2027 in opinion polls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During his televised announcement, Yoon also described the opposition as \u201cshameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces who are plundering the freedom and happiness of our citizens,\u201d but he did not elaborate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yoon has taken a hard line on North Korea over its nuclear ambitions, departing from the policies of his liberal predecessor, Moon Jae-in, who pursued inter-Korean engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yoon has also dismissed calls for independent investigations into scandals involving his wife and top officials, drawing quick, strong rebukes from his political rivals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yoon\u2019s move was the first declaration of martial law since the country\u2019s democratization in 1987. The country\u2019s last previous martial law was in October 1979, following the assassination of former military dictator Park Chung-hee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Natalia Slavney, research analyst at Stimson Center\u2019s 38 North website that focuses on Korean affairs, said Yoon\u2019s imposition of martial law was \u201ca serious backslide of democracy in South Korea\u201d that followed a \u201cworrying trend of abuse\u201d since he took office in 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt remains to be seen what the political fallout of this brief emergency martial law will be \u2014 both domestically and internationally. But South Korea has a robust history of political pluralism and is no stranger to mass protests and swift impeachments,\u201d Slavney said, citing the example of former President Park Geun-hye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Park, the country\u2019s first female president, was ousted from office and imprisoned for\u00a0bribery and other crimes in 2017.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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