2024 South Korean martial law

2024 South Korean martial law
Protests following the declaration of martial law
Date	3–4 December 2024 (2024-12-03 – 2024-12-04) 22:27 – 04:30 (UTC+9)
Location	South Korea
Caused by	Opposition to budget proposals Attempted impeachment of prosecutors involved in scandals Alleged North Korean interference
Goals	Dissolution of the National Assembly Control of the media Suppression of opposition parties
Resulted in	National Assembly defies blockage and votes for lifting of martial law President Yoon lifts martial law Attempted impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol Resignations and arrests of ministers and members of Yoon's cabinet Nationwide protests Arrest and suicide attempt of Kim Yong-hyun
Parties
Yoon administration Ministry of National Defense (MND) Republic of Korea Army 707th Special Mission Group 1st Special Forces Brigade (South Korea) Ministry of the Interior and Safety National Police Agency Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency National Assembly Democratic Party (DPK) People Power Party (PPP) Rebuilding Korea (RKP) New Reform Party (NRP) Progressive Party Basic Income Party (BIP)
Lead figures
President Yoon Suk Yeol Kim Yong-hyun (MND) Park An-su (Martial Law Commander) Speaker Woo Won-shik (Independent) Lee Jae-myung (DPK) Han Dong-hoon (PPP) Cho Kuk (RKP) Lee Jun-seok (NRP) Yong Hye-in (BIP)

2024 South Korean martial law
Hangul	윤석열 정부 비상계엄
Hanja	尹錫悅 政府 非常戒嚴
Revised Romanization	Yun Seokyeol jeongbu bisanggyeeom
McCune–Reischauer	Yun Sŏgyŏl chŏngbu pisanggyeŏm

On 3 December 2024, at 22:27 Korea Standard Time (KST), Yoon Suk Yeol, the president of South Korea, declared martial law during a televised address. In his declaration, Yoon accused the Democratic Party (DPK), which has a majority in the National Assembly, of conducting "anti-state activities" and collaborating with "North Korean communists" to destroy the country, thereby creating a "legislative dictatorship". The order prohibited political activities, including gatherings of the National Assembly and local legislatures, and suspended the free press. Separately, Yoon reportedly ordered the arrest of various political opponents, including the leaders of the DPK and his own People Power Party (PPP). This event was widely characterized by Korean politicians and news organizations, both international and domestic, as an attempted self-coup.

The declaration was opposed by both parties and resulted in protests. At 01:02 on 4 December, 190 legislators who had arrived at the National Assembly Proceeding Hall unanimously passed a motion to lift martial law, despite attempts by the Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command to prevent the vote. At 04:30, Yoon and his cabinet lifted martial law and soon disbanded the Martial Law Command.

The opposition subsequently began impeachment proceedings against Yoon and said it would continue to do so if he did not resign. Uproar over the declaration has led to the resignation of several officials in Yoon's administration, including Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, and investigations into Yoon, other officials of his administration, and military officers for their role in the implementation of the decree. On 7 December, Yoon issued an apology for declaring martial law and said that he would not do it again.

Background

President Yoon Suk Yeol in 2022

Opinion polling on the Yoon Suk Yeol presidency

South Korea is governed as a presidential democracy under the 1987 constitution, which provides for a strong executive independent of the legislature. Yoon Suk Yeol, a member of the conservative People Power Party and former prosecutor general, took office as President of South Korea following his victory in the 2022 election.

Yoon has been criticized for far-right political views. His administration had low approval ratings, reaching as low as 17%, with a November 2024 survey showing 58% of the population want to see Yoon either resign or be impeached. He has struggled to achieve his agenda due to opposition from the National Assembly, controlled by the opposition Democratic Party (DPK) since 2020. In the April 2024 legislative election, the opposition kept its grip but still lacked the two-thirds majority (200 out of 300) required under the constitution to impeach the president.

Yoon boycotted the opening of the National Assembly, even though it is customary for the president to deliver a speech at the event. Yoon has also opposed investigations into scandals involving his wife Kim Keon-hee and top officials, vetoing bills on three separate occasions that called for a special counsel investigation into his wife, the third of which occurred on 26 November 2024. The opposition-controlled parliament had moved to impeach Board of Audit and Inspection Chair Choe Jae-hae and three prosecutors involved in two scandals involving Kim on 2 December 2024, and rejected the government's 2025 budget proposal.

Warnings of a plot to declare martial law

Rep. Kim Min-seok of the opposition's Democratic Party predicted months in advance that Yoon would declare martial law.

In September 2024 three months prior to the martial law declaration, some DPK politicians suggested Yoon was preparing martial law. Party leader Lee Jae-myung alluded to "speculation about martial law preparations" in his remark. Kim Min-seok, member of the party's Supreme Council, stated "I have well-founded reasons to believe that the conservative Yoon administration is drawing up a contingency plan to declare martial law". The Presidential Office dismissed this claim as "groundless". People Power Party floor leader Choo Kyung-ho also denied the possibility of martial law, saying "Such theories ... are no more than scare tactics and propaganda based purely on imagination".

Kim Min-seok justified his prediction of a martial law declaration by Yoon, by adding, he was "one of the people who obtained information and reported that the government was preparing to invoke martial law during the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye” in 2016, despite denials by the Park government at the time. A document was produced in secret by the Defense Security Command (now the Defense Counterintelligence Command; DCC) in February 2017 that considered invoking martial law in anticipation of continued street protests if Park Geun-hye was not removed by the Constitutional Court. The 67-page document titled "Wartime Martial Law and Joint Action Plan", contained specific plans including mobilizing tanks to suppress candlelight protests in Gwanghwamun in the event that the impeachment of Park was dismissed, and arresting and detaining lawmakers to prevent the National Assembly from reaching the quorum required to lift martial law if lawmakers attempted to do so (similar to the martial law plans of 2024).

Kim Yong-hyun, during his confirmation hearing for Minister of National Defense at the National Assembly on 2 September 2024, was asked by members of the opposition as to whether he would declare martial law. He dismissed this, saying "I think talk about martial law is out of date; if it is declared, who would accept it? Do you think the military would even follow the order?" Over the following three months, he allegedly planned military rule under martial law.

Following the botched martial law implementation, Kim Min-seok cited the Yoon administration's usage of the term "anti-state forces", and Yoon appointing his fellow Choongam High School alumni as ministers of defense, the interior and other high-ranking figures in his administration and the military, as indications of Yoon's ulterior motive for martial law. He added Yoon's government "are so bad at governance that they have no way of preventing their replacement other than martial law, terrorism, and mobilizing the legal system against their opponents."

Documents obtained by DPK lawmaker Choo Mi-ae showed that the DCC had prepared documents and other related material on declaring martial law following orders from its commander, Lietuenant General Yeo In-hyung, in November 2024.

The "Choongam faction" who Yoon appointed to high ranking positions and cited as having a role in the martial law declaration were:

• Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun
• Lieutenant General Yeo In-hyung, commander of the Defense Counterintelligence Command
• Major General Park Jong-seon, commander of the Defense Security Agency (known as 777th Intelligence Command) of Defense Intelligence Agency
• Lieutenant General Lee Jin-woo, commander of the Capital Defense Command
• Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min

The Choongam faction has been compared to the Hanahoe faction of former dictator Chun Doo-hwan and his successor Roh Tae-woo.

Attempts to provoke North Korean crisis to justify martial law

In May 2024, North Korea began sending balloons loaded with trash into South Korea. In October, North Korea accused the South Korean military of flying propaganda leaflet-scattering drones over Pyongyang, which the South Korean military said they were unable to confirm.

In December, Park Beom-kye, a member of the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly, claimed Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun orchestrated the drone incident to stoke tension with the North and that the DCC took a hands-on role in the incident. Lee Ki-heon of the Intelligence Committee said he had confirmed a report that Kim Yong-hyun instructed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Kim Myung-soo to "fire warning shots and then strike the origin of sewage balloons flying from the North", though a spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs of Staff denied this. Lee said Yoon and Defense Minister Kim were trying to provoke a "local war" in order to justify martial law. Admiral Kim refused the order and was verbally abused by Defense Minister Kim. Lee suspected this led Defense Minister Kim to select Army Chief of Staff Park An-soo for martial law commander instead, as Admiral Kim would have been the default choice.

On 1 December, two days before martial law was declared, colonel-level commanders were called to be on guard for an imminent provocation by North Korea, with DCC Commander Yeo In-hyung giving orders to prepare for a "serious North Korean filth balloon situation".

Martial law powers and past occurrences

Martial law was a recurring tool used by military leaders to suppress dissent and consolidate power in South Korea’s authoritarian, dictatorship past until the end of the Fifth Republic of Korea with the June Democratic Struggle of 1987, when South Korea transitioned to democratic government under the Sixth Republic.

This was the first time martial law had been declared in South Korea since the 1980 military coup d'état after the assassination of dictator Park Chung Hee, and restoration of civil liberties in 1987. This was the 17th since the foundation of the republic in 1948.

According to the Martial Law Act, the declaration of martial law or alteration in its nature by the President shall undergo deliberation by the State Council. The Minister of National Defense or the Minister of the Interior and Safety may suggest the declaration of martial law to the President through the Prime Minister.

Under Article 77 of the constitution, the president must immediately notify the National Assembly when declaring martial law. This enables special measures to be taken, including reducing the need for arrest warrants and restricting freedom of speech, the press, assembly, and association. The National Assembly can force the president to lift martial law by a simple majority vote. The president has no authority to suspend the Assembly by any means, and "during the enforcement of martial law, no member of the Assembly shall be arrested or detained unless he/she is caught in the act of committing a crime".

Events

Events on 3 December prior to martial law declaration

At 17:00 KST, units of the Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command, including the 707th Special Mission Group, 1st Special Forces Brigade, and the 13th Special Mission Brigade received orders to prepare for operations at an isolated area. The 707th SMG received a message to prepare for conduct of a real-world operation by helicopter, and deployment on orders of Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun. They were told "The situation related to North Korea is serious", though an anonymous official reported there had been no movements by the North Korean military.

At 18:20, Korean National Police Commissioner Cho Ji-ho reportedly received an order from the Presidential Office to "be on standby". At a subsequent committee inquiry by the National Assembly, Cho claimed he had no knowledge of the martial law plan until its announcement. At 21:50, broadcasting networks received a message saying, "There will be an emergency government announcement, please connect to the live broadcast". However, journalists covering the Presidential Office were barred from entering the briefing room, where such broadcasts are normally made.

Declaration of martial law

At 22:23 on 3 December, Yoon Suk Yeol began reading an emergency address to the nation, and at 22:27 declared martial law. He accused the opposition of being an "anti-state...den of criminals" and "trying to overthrow the free democracy" by impeaching members of his cabinet and blocking his budget plans. He asked citizens to believe in him and tolerate "some inconveniences", and also claimed that there was a North Korean conspiracy against the South Korean government.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was allegedly sidelined in the decision-making process leading up to the martial law declaration, and discussions were kept private between Yoon and Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun. Kim is a member of the "Choongam faction", a group within Yoon's inner circle made up of graduates from his alma mater, Choongam High School in Seoul. Kim urged Yoon to enact martial law during a cabinet meeting shortly before the official declaration, in which a majority of the 19 cabinet members were "strongly against" the decision.

Defense Minister Kim then ordered a meeting with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Kim Myung-soo. Yoon appointed Chief of Staff of the Republic of Korea Army Park An-su as his martial law commander.

Election Commission raids

CCTV images of soldiers in the National Election Commission headquarters server room

After martial law was declared, armed troops raided the National Election Commission (NEC) headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province (10 troops), one of its training centers in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province (130 troops) and the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission in Gwanak District in southern Seoul (47 troops). Civil servants' phones were confiscated.

Several operatives from the Intelligence Protection Group of the DCC with firearms and uniforms that were missing unit insignias and patches raided the server room located on the second floor of the NEC headquarters while the Special Warfare Command troops and National Police officers from Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency provided perimeter security at the building. Lieutenant General Yeo In-hyung, head of the DCC and another member of the Choongam faction who was criticized for admiring Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo, were behind the raid. Commander Yeo make a call to KNP Commissioner Cho Ji-ho about the NEC headquarters raid and Cho started supplying police forces for the troops.

Kim Yong-hyun stated he deployed troops to determine the need for an investigation into the NEC's alleged "election fraud" in the April 2024 National Assembly election, which was echoed by far-right YouTubers. However, these allegations by right-wing conspiracy theorists have been repeatedly debunked by the police. Rep. Lee Jun-seok of the Reform Party, mentioned that President Yoon repeatedly talked about election fraud while Lee was meeting him in his capacity as the leader of Yoon's PPP party, accusing Yoon of “being crazy” about conspiracy theories, and alleged that Yoon, was surrounded by individuals who believed in conspiracy theories.

DCC martial law troops assigned to raid the NEC training center in Suwon questioned their deployment orders, and delayed their arrival by slowing their pace or pulling off at rest stops. On 9 December, Rep. Lee released a report that a DCC Brigadier General assaulted a major for questioning deployment orders and forced him on a bus to seize the NEC servers, and that some troops wasted time after arriving at the NEC, e.g. by eating ramyeon at a nearby convenience store, after judging their deployment orders to be illegal, waiting until the Assembly passed the resolution to lift martial law. Later the Brigadier General was identified as Kim Dae-woo, close associate of DCC Commander Yeo.

On 12 December, Yoon alleged, in a national address, that the NEC's network system was vulnerable to cyberattacks and hacking, resulting in election fraud. The president accused the NEC of invoking constitutional immunity as an excuse to avoid inspection of its internal system in 2023 and claimed that the National Intelligence Service discovered a North Korean hacking attack on the system. The NEC released a statement calling Yoon's allegation "baseless" and said Yoon's "raising suspicions of electoral fraud due to strong doubts amounts to self-denial of the electoral management system through which he was elected president". The NEC statement added that election fraud would require organized action from NEC aides, a breakdown of the security management system, and switching out identical amounts of actual voting papers, and called it "almost impossible”. The NEC reiterated that as an constitutional body, the raids of the NEC offices were unconstitutional and illegal with no basis in the Constitution or law.

Plans for mass detention of political figures

According to testimony by National Intelligence Service (NIS) Deputy Director Hong Jang-won to the National Assembly on 6 December, Yoon called him at 22:53 on 3 December and ordered him to help the DCC arrest his political opponents and that Yoon wanted to "use this chance to arrest them and wipe them out".

Hong testified that DCC Commander Lieutenant General Yeo In-hyung later gave him a list of individuals targeted for arrest which Hong could not recall completely:

• Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung
• National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik
• People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon
• Democratic Party Rep. Kim Min-seok
• Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae
• National Assembly Legislation and Judiciary Committee Chair Jung Chung-rae
• Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho Kuk
• Liberal journalist Kim Ou-joon
• Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Kim Myeong-su
• Kim Min-woong, brother of Rep. Kim Min-seok and leader of the Candlelight Movement
• Former National Election Commission Chairman Kwon Soon-il

Han Dong-hoon, the leader of Yoon's own People Power Party, confirmed that he was on the list of targets and that Yoon had planned to jail arrested politicians in a detention centre in Gwacheon, south of Seoul. Upon receiving Yeo’s instructions, Hong said he thought the president had lost his mind. He refused to comply, citing the NIS’s lack of resources and means to carry out such an order. Yeo reportedly outlined plans to arrest first and second-tier targets in phases, detain them at DCC facilities, and conduct investigations. It was later reported that a bunker designated as an operations center for potential North Korean attacks and a military police compound, both operated by the Capital Defense Command in Seoul’s Gwanak District, were also considered as detention sites.

Yoon then fired Hong. The report alleged Hong was given the orders because NIS Director Cho Tae-yong had previously refused to act on Yoon's arrest list.

Troops were seen deployed in front of a building where Kim Ou-joon, the YouTuber and liberal journalist on the list of targets, created his videos. Kim, who went into hiding, said that soldiers were also deployed at his residence, and posted footage showing about 20 armed soldiers standing outside his office in central Seoul.

During a testimony to the Judiciary Committee of the National Assembly on 9 December, Police Commissioner Cho testified that he received a call from the DCC Commander Yeo between 22:30 and 22:40 on the night of 3 December, asking him to track the locations of politicians and others to carry out their arrests. The list of targets was consistent with what NIS Deputy Director Hong revealed the previous week, adding that PPP leader Han Dong-hoon was added to the list later. Commissioner Cho stated that he ignored the orders, on grounds that location tracking itself was illegal, and that court-issued arrest warrants were required to carry out arrests.

Decree

At 23:25, on 3 December, Martial Law Commander Army General Park An-su issued the following decree which retroactively took effect at 23:00:

Martial Law Command proclaims the following as of 23:00 on 3 December 2024, in order to protect liberal democracy from anti-state forces active within the free Republic of Korea and their threats to subvert the state, and to ensure public safety.

1. All political activities, including activities of the National Assembly, local councils, political parties, and political association, rallies and demonstrations, are prohibited.
2. All acts that deny or attempt to overthrow the free democratic system are prohibited. The dissemination of fake news, manipulation of public opinion, and false propaganda are prohibited.
3. All media and publications are subject to the control of Martial Law Command.
4. Strikes, work stoppages, and rallies that incite social chaos are prohibited.
5. Trainee doctors and all other medical personnel, who are on strike or have left their worksites, must return to their positions within 48 hours and work faithfully. Those who violate the order will face punishment in accordance with the Martial Law Act.
6. Innocent ordinary citizens, excluding anti-state forces and other subversive forces, will be subject to measures to minimize inconvenience in their daily lives.

Violators of the proclamation may be arrested, detained and searched without a warrant in accordance with Article 9 of the Martial Law Act (Special Measures Authority of the Martial Law Commander), and will be punished in accordance with Article 14 of the Martial Law Act (Penalties).

— Martial Law Commander, Army General Park An-su

Yoon's martial law decree went further than those of previous military dictators by suspending the National Assembly. However, Yoon's decree stopped short of ordering curfews or the closure of universities.

Impact

The announcement of martial law was met by surprise and panic amongst the South Korean public due to its suddenness. Following the declaration, the government said that activities in educational institutions and transport services would continue to operate normally. Panic-buying occurred in convenience stores nationwide. Demand increased for Telegram and VPNs after disruptions to internet portal Naver prompted fears of government censorship, although Naver and Kakao attributed this to an increase in user traffic. The Ministry of Science and ICT said it had not received any requests relating to martial law.

Following the announcement, the value of the won fell to 1,444 per U.S. dollar, its lowest value in 25 months; it later recovered to around 1,420, still down from the previous day's high of 1,403. The iShares MSCI South Korea ETF decreased by 5%. Franklin FTSE South Korea ETF declined by 4.4% and Matthews Korea Active ETF fell 4.5%. A central bank official said it was preparing measures to stabilize the market if needed. Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok convened an emergency meeting among top economic officials.

Immediate reaction of politicians

Lee Jae-myung climbing the National Assembly building fence at around 23:00 KST

National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik announced he would convene a plenary session immediately to revoke the martial law order and called for all lawmakers to gather at the National Assembly.

All main parties, including the ruling People Power Party, opposed Yoon's martial law declaration. PPP leader Han Dong-hoon said: "The president's martial law declaration is wrong. We will stop it along with the people." Seoul mayor Oh Se-hoon, a member of the PPP, also opposed the declaration. PPP floor leader Choo Kyung-ho said he only found out about the decree from the news. Controversially, Choo made an announcement to PPP legislators to report at party headquarters for a meeting instead of the National Assembly to vote down the martial law contrary to Han Dong-hoon and his faction, which led to allegations that he was colluding with Yoon's martial law plot. The special counsel bill passed by the National Assembly a week later to investigate key figures of the martial law declaration included Choo as a subject for investigation.

Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the DPK, urged citizens to gather at the National Assembly and declared that Yoon "is no longer the president of South Korea". Lee began live streaming on his YouTube channel around 22:50 as he traveled to the Assembly, telling 70,000 live viewers "There's no justification for declaring martial law. We cannot let the military rule the country." The Incheon branch of the DPK criticized the declaration as the beginning of an "era of Yoon dictatorship". Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho Kuk called the declaration of martial law "illegal" and said it met conditions for the impeachment of Yoon and Defense Minister Kim. Lee Jun-seok, leader of the Reform Party, called for Yoon to be expelled from the PPP, while Gyeonggi Province governor Kim Dong-yeon called for Yoon's arrest. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, the largest trade union group in the country, called for a general strike to reverse the declaration of martial law and impeach the president.

Former President Moon Jae-in addressed the military as a former commander-in-chief in a Facebook post, urging them to respect the will of the people, not to act against the National Assembly, and to adhere strictly to constitutional principles. He called on the military to focus on its legitimate duties, safeguarding national security without compromising democratic institutions.

A handful of conservative figures did support the decree, such as former prime minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, who called for the arrest of both Woo Won-shik and Han Dong-hoon. The mayor of Daegu, Hong Joon-pyo, did not explicitly take sides, but said he understood "Yoon's loyalty" while describing his actions as reckless and "making a scene".

National Assembly vote

National Assembly staff and aides barricade the main assembly entrance with furniture against approaching troops

Martial law forces clashing with National Assembly staff at the main entrance of the National Assembly

Civilians blocking military vehicles from entering Yeouido

Military helicopter flying over the National Assembly

Speaker Woo Won-shik announcing the National Assembly voted 190-0 to end martial law

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency blocked all entrances to the National Assembly by 23:04 and prevented lawmakers from reaching the plenary session to overturn the martial law declaration. Lawmakers instead maneuvered around police barricades to enter the Assembly. At around 23:00, Lee Jae-myung live streamed himself climbing over a 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) fence to gain access, and Speaker Woo also had to climb a fence to enter the assembly grounds. Lee Jun-seok, leader of the Reform Party, was seen confronting police officers for obstructing lawmakers, but recounted later that some police officers appeared not to know what to do.

At 23:50, UH-60P Black Hawk military helicopters were seen approaching the grounds, prompting lawmakers and aides to build furniture barricades inside. Around 23:57, the 707th SMG appeared in front of the National Assembly Proceeding Hall and began to clash with aides and congressional staff who tried to hold back the troops from entering the building. DPK spokeswoman Ahn Gwi-ryeong was seen trying to seize a rifle from a soldier before the latter pointed it at her briefly, prompting her to berate the soldier saying "Aren't you ashamed?" as he walked away. The video of the incident was captured on a livestream by OhmyNews and viewed millions of times on Twitter. She later told BBC Korean Service that "I didn't think... I just knew we had to stop this."

At 00:45, around 300 military personnel entered the National Assembly building, broke windows and attempted to enter the main hall, where Speaker Woo was about to begin the plenary session to revoke the martial law decree. In response, staff sprayed them with fire extinguishers and successfully stopped their entry. Some soldiers attempted to enter through the fourth floor, but were stopped by employees.

Soldiers broke the windows of several MPs' offices, while injuries occurred during confrontations inside the building. Ultimately, the soldiers were unable to access the main session hall, whose entrances were barricaded using furniture installed by staff. At least three helicopters also landed on the assembly grounds while two others were seen hovering above. Armored military vehicles were seen on the streets, while the martial law command also ordered the eviction of the Presidential Office press corps from its building in Seoul.

Military helicopters approaching the National Assembly carrying troops

The National Assembly commenced the emergency session at 00:48 on 4 December. At 01:02, with 190 of 300 lawmakers present, they voted unanimously to lift martial law. Those who voted included 172 opposition MPs and 18 members of a PPP faction supporting Han Dong-hoon. Following the vote, Speaker Woo Won-shik called for the military to leave the Assembly, while Lee Jae-myung said that the DPK would remain in the Assembly until the president lifted martial law. Lee called for police and soldiers to return to their positions and not abide with Yoon's "illegal act". They were also joined by members of the PPP.

The Korea Times and opposition parties identified units of the security forces involved in the incursion at the assembly as the 1st Airborne Special Forces Brigade of the Army Special Warfare Command and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, with the National Police Agency believed to have been bypassed by the declaration. The National Police Agency declared a Level B Emergency. The Kyunghyang Shinmun published images of soldiers next to boxes of what appeared to be live bullets and ammunition at the assembly. Protests against martial law were also organized in Gwangju, where memories of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising and subsequent crackdown remain fresh.

On 5 December, an anonymous special forces soldier told the media that the soldiers sent to the National Assembly only learned of the martial law declaration from the news. Other soldiers have said they were kept in the dark to varying degrees; most were not even told their destination until en route, and only given a specific mission after arrival. One said he felt betrayed by his superiors. Many were reluctant and deliberately slow in carrying out orders.

On 6 December, Lieutenant General Kwak Jong-keun, Chief of the Army Special Warfare Command, revealed during an interview by DPK legislators Kim Byung-joo and Park Sun-won, that the defense minister gave orders for troops to drag out the legislators, corroborating the earlier reports. Kwak said he prohibited giving live ammunition to individual soldiers as he witnessed "unjustified scenes" during the deployment, and added that "based on my judgment, dragging lawmakers out was clearly an illegal act" and he defied the orders, ordering the troops not to enter the plenary hall. In addition, Brigadier General Lee Sang-hyun, commander of the 1st Special Forces Brigade confirmed that they were deployed to the National Assembly, with deployment of two battalions, consisting of about 250 soldiers in total. He confirmed that orders were given to remove the lawmakers using means such as breaking down doors or cutting electricity, while confirming that Kwak gave orders not to give live ammunition. On a subsequent inquiry by the National Assembly on 10 December with a huge delegation of military officers summoned for questioning by legislators, Kwak revealed that the president personally called him to demand “break[ing] open the door, and drag the lawmakers out” and further added that he was made aware of plans for martial law on 1 December, two days before the announcement. Kwak suggested that prosecutors in charge of investigating Yoon’s martial law declaration were framing their questions in a way that held former Defense Minister Kim accountable, and shift the blame away from President Yoon.

Confrontations took place at the complex's main gate between security forces and civilians. Crowds gathered, chanting slogans such as "lift martial law", "take down the dictatorship", "no violence" and "impeach Yoon".

Aftermath

Citizens erupt in applause and cheers as martial law forces leave the National Assembly

Troops preparing to leave the National Assembly after the vote to end martial law.

After the vote, soldiers began withdrawing, with the Speaker's office later saying that they had left altogether by 01:18. Others began pushing back the crowd of protesters who gathered there, which numbered around 2,000. Several soldiers were seen bowing in apology to the public over the incursion, while others consoled civilians who had engaged in confrontations. Protesters also began calling for Yoon's arrest and impeachment. Lee Jae-myung said the declaration of martial law was done without cabinet approval and that members of the security forces who continued to follow Yoon's martial law orders were committing "an illegal act". The Defense Ministry stated that martial law would remain in effect until ended by the president.

After martial law was lifted, the president's office told foreign media 38 hours after refusing all interviews with South Korean media that "emergency martial law was strictly enforced within the framework of the constitution and took place late at night to minimize damage to the national economy and citizens' daily lifes."

Lifting of martial law

During a televised briefing at 04:27, Yoon announced that he would lift martial law as soon as a quorum could be obtained for a cabinet meeting, and that he had withdrawn military personnel from the National Assembly. At approximately 04:30, the cabinet approved the motion to lift martial law. The Martial Law Command was also disbanded. The military said it had not observed unusual activity in North Korea while martial law was in place.

Following the lifting of martial law, the DPK held an emergency meeting at the Assembly, announcing that they would commence impeachment proceedings if Yoon did not step down. In a resolution, it said "Yoon's declaration of martial law is a clear violation of the Constitution", adding that it was "a serious act of rebellion and a perfect reason for impeachment". Protests continued to be held in the Assembly and in Gwanghwamun Square, with candlelight rallies and related activities held in cities across South Korea. Smaller rallies were also held in support of Yoon.

Protests against Yoon Suk Yeol

Protests against Yoon Suk Yeol
Lee Jae-myung at the emergency rally held at the National Assembly on 4 December, with Cho Kuk to his right
Date	3 December 2024 (2024-12-03) – present
Location	South Korea
Caused by	Declaration of martial law by President Yoon Suk Yeol
Goals	Resignation or impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol
Status	Ongoing
Number
Protesters: 1,000,000 (one million) 150,000 police

Speaker Woo Won-shik inspects an Assembly window damaged from the previous night, on the morning of 4 December.

Inspector General of the Ministry of Justice Ryu Hyuk resigned in protest shortly after attending a meeting convened on martial law by Justice Minister Park Sung-jae. Shortly after Yoon backed down and lifted martial law, the opposition began to consider his impeachment. Some South Korean analysts described the episode as a self-coup attempt to seize power. In the early hours of 4 December, dozens of Yoon's aides resigned en masse following the martial law declaration and recantation. That same day, the Supreme Court announced it would investigate whether the declaration was illegal, given that he had failed to abide by mandatory provisions such as notifying both the cabinet and the legislature beforehand. On 6 December, the Constitutional Court also opened an investigation into the legality of Yoon's martial law declaration.

The leadership of the PPP discussed expelling Yoon from the party during a meeting. Han Dong-hoon urged Yoon to immediately fire Defense Minister Kim for proposing the idea and later said he asked Yoon to leave the PPP through the prime minister and presidential officials. The DPK also confirmed they would initiate impeachment proceedings against Yoon, along with Kim and Interior Minister Lee Sang-min on 5 December if Yoon did not resign. Kim later apologized and took responsibility for the soldiers' actions. He also offered his resignation, which was accepted by Yoon. In a separate interview, Kim said that the deployment of soldiers to the National Election Commission was aimed at assessing the "necessity of an investigation into alleged election fraud". In response, the commission denounced the incursion as a violation of the Constitution and pledged to take legal action. At noon on 4 December, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo held a meeting with Yoon's remaining cabinet members, and party leaders to discuss the fallout of the martial law declaration. He subsequently apologized and took full responsibility for what had happened.

Later on 4 December, all of the major newspapers in South Korea and the National Union of Media Workers unanimously condemned Yoon and called for his arrest, saying the martial law was illegal and an attempted repeat of the brutal coups of the 1980s. At the same time, multiple South Korean celebrities also heavily condemned Yoon. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea, the Korean Methodist Church, the National Council of Churches in Korea, and the Korean Church Human Rights Center criticized the declaration of martial law, while the national association of Won Buddhist clerics called for Yoon's impeachment. A joint declaration was signed by 370 professors and researchers at Korea University calling for Yoon's impeachment. The emergency medical professors of Seoul National University and Seoul National University Hospital also criticized martial law and its attempt to halt the ongoing doctors' strike and supported Yoon's impeachment. Especially, the term 'cheodan' (처단) in Article 5 of the decree on martial law has sparked strong reactions from both medical professionals and the general public in Korea. Although it was translated as 'punishment' in this document, its real-world usage aligns more closely with 'execution', fueling significant controversy. The chair of the Choongam High School Foundation called Yoon and Kim Yong-hyun "shameful graduates". The school also suspended its uniform policy for students amid concerns over harassment, adding that some of its school bus drivers had been harassed by passersby and that it had received hundreds of protest calls. Its student council also issued a statement supporting Yoon's impeachment. Five MPs of the PPP from Han Dong-hoon's faction expressed support for amending the constitution to shorten Yoon's term from 2027 to 2026. Some PPP legislators also called for amendments shifting power from the president to the prime minister and allowing for power-sharing between parties under a coalition government.

On 5 December, Kim Min-seok, who had previously warned of a possible declaration of martial law in August, said that he was "100 percent certain" that Yoon would try and declare martial law again, attributing Yoon's motivations as to protect himself and his wife from ongoing investigations. He also attributed the failure of the 3 December declaration to popular resistance and the incompetence of Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun. The Center for Military Human Rights Korea also warned of such a possibility, citing the Army restricting leave for some officers and implementing stringent regulations effective until 8 December, which coincided with the period that proposals to impeach Yoon are being discussed in the National Assembly. On 6 December, the Defense Ministry and the Joint Chiefs of Staff denied the allegations and said that they would not comply with a second declaration of martial law, while the DPK said all 170 of its lawmakers will remain on emergency standby within the National Assembly premises to vote down future declarations of martial law. The National Assembly Secretariat barred officials from the Defense Ministry, police and the NIS from entering its buildings "for the time being".

On the afternoon of 6 December, rumors that Yoon would visit the Assembly for a meeting with the PPP prompted opposition lawmakers and staff to gather at the building's main rotunda to block his entry, while additional entry restrictions were imposed on other visitors and the complex's day care center was advised to send children home early. The Presidential Office later said that Yoon had no plans to visit the legislature.

Impeachment efforts

Main article: Efforts to impeach Yoon Suk Yeol

On 4 December, 190 legislators across six opposition parties submitted a motion for impeachment, intending to discuss the bill the following day; the DPK later planned a vote on 7 December. At a meeting with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and PPP party leader Han Dong-hoon, Yoon stated that he would not resign and said there was "no wrongdoing" in his declaration, adding that he had done so as a "warning" to the opposition and to prevent the DPK's "reckless impeachment actions". Yoon also defended plans to arrest Han Dong-hoon for going to the National Assembly. On 5 December, the PPP announced they would oppose impeachment, following an emergency meeting the previous evening. However, at an emergency meeting on 6 December, Han Dong-hoon said it was necessary to "promptly suspend [Yoon] from his duties to protect the Republic of Korea", citing that Yoon ordered the arrest and detention of key politicians during martial law, including Han himself. That same day, Cho Kyoung-tae voiced his support for Yoon's impeachment, becoming the first MP from the PPP to do so.

During an investigation by the National Assembly on 5 December, Army Chief Park An-su said he had been handed the text of the martial law notice only on the night of its declaration and was unaware of soldiers being deployed to the Assembly. Deputy Defense Minister Kim Seon-ho said he had only learned about the declaration on the news and that Kim Yong-hyun ordered soldiers to enter the Assembly and prevent lawmakers from gathering. He also apologized for failing to prevent the troop deployment, saying that he opposed it. Separately, the National Police Agency announced that Yoon was under investigation for insurrection following a complaint from the opposition. Park also submitted his resignation to Yoon, which was rejected. On 6 December, Special Forces Commander Kwak Jong-guen said he had ordered soldiers present at the Assembly on 3 December not to enter the session hall and ruled out the provision of live ammunition and harm against civilians. He also said that he would not follow such orders in the event of martial law being declared again. Later that day, the Defense Ministry suspended Kwak, Yeo In-hyung and Capital Defense Command Commander Lee Jin-woo for their involvement in martial law. They, along with Park An-su, were also subjected to a ban on overseas travel. Hong Jang-won, the deputy director of the NIS, also said that he was ordered by Yoon to arrest politicians during martial law during a series of phone calls. However this was denied by Director Cho Tae-yong, who said the NIS had no such powers. The National Archives of Korea issued notices to the Presidential Office, the Defense Ministry and other relevant agencies for the preservation of documents, video footage and other records relating to the declaration of martial law amid concerns over their discarding. The Presidential Office later said it did not possess the detailed minutes of the cabinet meeting that preceded the declaration.

On 7 December, Yoon apologized for declaring martial law, describing it as a product of desperation as the head of state and pledging that there would not be a second martial law declaration. He also pledged to entrust measures related to his term in office to the PPP. Lee Jae-myung called the apology "disappointing" and insisted on Yoon's resignation or impeachment. He also criticized Yoon's power-sharing arrangement with the PPP as "destroying the constitutional order", while DPK Floor Leader Park Chan-dae called the arrangement a "second coup". Later that day, the impeachment vote failed after only 195 lawmakers present of the 200 needed to impeach attended following a boycott by all but three MPs from the PPP. The decision led to massive public anger against the PPP, with a petition filed at the National Assembly website calling for the PPP's dissolution obtaining more than 171,000 supporters, exceeding the 50,000 needed to have the proposal submitted to the standing committee.

Following the vote, Han Dong-hoon said that the PPP would continue to "push for the president's orderly retreat to minimize chaos", and said Yoon would be "effectively stripped of his duties until he retreats" while Prime Minister Han Duck-soo managed state affairs "in consultation with the party"; a party special task force proposed that Yoon leave office in February or March 2025 and elections to replace him held in April or May. The DPK said that it would continue to file impeachment motions against Yoon on a weekly basis in response. That same day, the DPK filed an impeachment motion against Interior Minister Lee Sang-min for mishandling the martial law situation. Facing mounting pressure, Lee resigned on 8 December.

On 8 December, Han Dong-hoon said that the PPP had "effectively obtained [Yoon's] promise to step down" in exchange for the party blocking his impeachment, and said Yoon would "not interfere in state affairs, including foreign affairs", even before his "orderly early resignation".

On 12 December, Yoon issued a statement vowing to "fight to the end", resisting the push for his resignation. Following Yoon's statement, Han Dong-hoon called for Yoon's impeachment and convened an ethics committee to discuss Yoon's expulsion from the PPP. Later that day, the DPK filed its second motion to impeach Yoon, and the National Assembly passed impeachment motions against Justice Minister Park Sung-jae and KNP Commissioner Cho Ji-ho. By the end of the same day, seven PPP lawmakers publicly declared their support for Yoon's impeachment.

Legal investigations

The DPK sought then Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun's impeachment for proposing martial law to Yoon, and intended to file a criminal complaint against him. The party's chief spokesperson, Jo Seoung-lae, issued a statement saying "The DPK will punish the unconstitutional and illegal emergency martial law of the Yoon administration [...] We urge law enforcement agencies to immediately launch an investigation into the treason case that the entire nation is now aware of and bring the perpetrators to justice." On 5 December, the police investigated Yoon and other key officials for alleged insurrection in response to a case filed by minor opposition parties and 59 activists accusing them of treason. The DPK planned to appoint a permanent special counsel to investigate Yoon for treason and considered filing charges against PPP Floor Leader Cho Kyung-ho, who urged PPP lawmakers to assemble at the party's headquarters rather than the Assembly.

On 8 December, Kim Yong-hyun was arrested on suspicion of committing insurrection by advising President Yoon to declare martial law and sending troops into the National Assembly to seize the legislature. He was banned from leaving the country as a result.

On 9 December, the Ministry of Justice issued an overseas travel ban against Yoon following an investigation into allegations of rebellion linked to his brief imposition of martial law, marking the first instance of a sitting president facing such restrictions. That same day, Lee Jae-myung issued a statement exonerating lower-ranking soldiers who participated in the martial law exercises and expressed gratitude for their restraint, saying that they had been "exploited" by their commanders. An overseas travel ban was placed on KNP Commissioner Cho Ji-ho, Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Chief Kim Bong-sik and Mok Hyun-tae, head of the National Assembly Police Guards, as part of the martial law investigation.

On 10 December, the National Assembly passed a bill creating a permanent special counsel to investigate Yoon on charges of treason relating to his martial law declaration. The motion passed with 210 MPs, including 23 PPP members, in favor after the party allowed its members to vote according to their individual decision. That same day, Army Maj. Gen. Moon Sang-ho, chief of the Defense Intelligence Command, was suspended over his role in the incursion into the National Election Commission's office in Gwacheon.

On 11 December, KNP Commissioner Cho Ji-ho and Seoul Metropolitan Police Chief Kim Bong-sik were arrested without a warrant on charges of insurrection. On 12 December, Park An-su was suspended as Army Chief of Staff.

Police raids and Kim Yong-hyun suicide attempt

A police raid was conducted on 11 December 2024 of the Presidential Office, with investigators presenting a search warrant that specified Yoon as the suspect. However, the Presidential Security Service refused to cooperate, resulting in a "very limited" number of documents and materials being submitted by Yoon's office. Raids were also conducted on the Defense Counterintelligence Command, the Army Special Warfare Command, the National Police Agency, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, and the National Assembly Security Service. On the same day, Kim Yong-hyun attempted to commit suicide while in custody at the detention facility he was held in. On 12 December, another raid was conducted on the Joint Chiefs of Staff headquarters adjacent to the presidential compound, as well as the Capital Defense Command headquarters.

Opinion polling

Opinion polling carried out by Realmeter on 4 December found that 73.4% of Korean respondents supported Yoon's impeachment while 24% opposed it. It also found that 70% believed that Yoon's actions constituted treason while 25% believed otherwise. Another poll by Gallup held from 3 to 5 December found that Yoon's approval rating had fallen by six points to 13% in part due to martial law, while that of the PPP fell by five points to 27%. Conversely, the DPK's approval rating increased by four points to reach 37%.

A Realmeter poll released a week later on 12 December, showed 74.8% of respondents said that Yoon should be suspended from his duties with immediate resignation or impeachment, while only 16.2% said that the president should resign in an orderly manner as proposed by the PPP. The poll also reported that 66.2% of respondents suffered trauma in the wake of the martial law declaration, with 26.2% said they had trauma but since recovered, and 40.0% who continued to feel lingering or unresolved effects of trauma.

Reception and analysis

Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, compared it to the January 6 United States Capitol attack, saying the effects of the declaration on South Korean politics and its reputation would be far worse than what happened in the United States.

Youngshik Bong, an adviser to the Ministry of Unification and visiting professor at Yonsei University, said that declaring martial law should be reserved for the most serious situations, such as war. He added that this will backfire on the president as "his impeachment is really in the cards now".

Park Sung-min, a political consultant in Seoul, said "I don't know what his end goal was here, because I think this was political suicide [...] It seems clear that President Yoon is now more likely to step down in the middle of his term rather than seeing his term through to completion."

The declaration of martial law triggered memories in older Koreans of past military dictatorships and the authoritarian era, while younger Koreans, educated and exposed to elders sharing their experiences about abuses under past military rule, reacted with alarm and disbelief while recalling lessons about torture, imprisoned opposition leaders and deadly crackdowns on democracy protests in the past. Unlike past military coups which had endorsements of the United States, this was a domestic political issue that was handled swiftly and decisively by South Koreans without external interference. Along with troops refusing to abide by unjust orders, these were cited as reasons to believe that South Korean democracy and society has evolved in the last 4 decades to the point that a return to military rule or dictatorship will not be tolerated.

In the days following the botched martial law, the 2023 film 12.12: The Day, a depiction of the coup organized by Chun Doo-hwan in 1979 became the No. 1 South Korean film on the streaming platform Netflix, while memes appeared online of main character Chun Doo-kwang's (based on Chun Doo-hwan, played by Hwang Jung-min) face replaced with President Yoon, and posts comparing scenes from the film with the footage of the recent events. There were calls for a theatrical re-release of the film.

Concerns have been raised about morale and combat readiness in the Republic of Korea Armed Forces following rank-and-file troops being sent to execute illegal orders leading to distrust in military leaders, followed by suspensions of senior military officials implicated or under investigations for their roles in the martial law fiasco.

International analysis

In the United States, Foreign Policy magazine, the Associated Press, political scientists Sidney Tarrow and Benjamin Engel, and coup historians Joe Wright and John J. Chin described the events as an attempted self-coup. The subsequent impeachment motion in the National Assembly also described Yoon's actions as a self-coup. The New Yorker characterized it as "a coup, almost" and an "intended coup".

In the United Kingdom, The Economist described the event as an attempted coup. BBC News reported one resident comparing it to the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état.

Reporters Without Borders criticized the declaration of martial law and its provisions allowing for military control of the press, noting that it would have led to the South Korean presidency gaining "total control over the media for the first time since the country's democratization".

International diplomatic statements

Multiple countries have issued advisories urging caution, advising their citizens in South Korea to be vigilant and avoid public demonstrations. The White House and the United States Department of State said they were not given notice ahead of time of Yoon's intention to declare martial law, while South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul refused to take calls from US ambassador Philip Goldberg for the duration of martial law. State Department spokesman Vedant Patel expressed "grave concern" for the ongoing developments while reiterating the United States' "iron-clad" alliance with South Korea. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt M. Campbell called Yoon's decision to impose martial law "badly-misjudged". The White House later expressed relief at the lifting of martial law, as did United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that NATO has warned North Korea not to take advantage of the situation. The United States Department of Defense said it had not received a request for military assistance from South Korea during the declaration of martial law, adding that there was no force posture change in the United States Forces Korea (USFK). USFK Commander General Paul LaCamera urged personnel and their families to "exercise individual vigilance".

Kyrgyzstan's President Sadyr Japarov was on a state visit in South Korea when martial law was declared. The Kyrgyz government issued a statement confirming the safety of the president and his delegation. Japarov concluded the state visit and returned to Kyrgyzstan on 4 December. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson cancelled his scheduled visit to South Korea and summit with Yoon. Meetings of the Nuclear Consultative Group and related military exercises were also postponed indefinitely by the United States, along with a visit by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani postponed a scheduled visit in late December. Kazakhstan also cancelled defense meetings with its South Korean counterparts and a visit by Defense Minister Ruslan Jaqsylyqov on 5 December, while a visit by Japanese MPs from the Japan-Korea Parliamentarians' Union led by former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga was also cancelled. Likewise, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul cancelled his scheduled address at the World Emerging Security Forum in Seoul on 5 December, while Deputy Foreign Ministers Kim Hong-kyun and Kang In-sun respectively cut short and cancelled their attendance at diplomatic meetings in Europe and the United Arab Emirates. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also issued diplomatic notes to all embassies inside South Korea emphasizing the stabilization of the domestic situation following martial law.

In Taiwan, the Democratic Progressive Party Legislative Caucus posted an article on Threads, claiming that the declaration of martial law was a legitimate effort to protect free constitutional democracy in South Korea and criticizing Taiwanese opposition parties for obstructing national security proposals, allegedly "unconstitutionally expand[ing]" their powers, and reducing the defense budget. While the post was deleted shortly afterwards, it sparked criticism from major opposition parties, including the Kuomintang and the Taiwan People's Party, who interpreted the post as a threat to take similar measures in Taiwan.

Coverage in North Korea

On 11 December 2024, North Korea released its first statements on the martial law declaration through an article published in the state newspaper Rodong Sinmun, describing it as an "insane act" that was "akin to the coup d'état of the decades-ago military dictatorship era". It also described the incident "revealed the weakness in South Korean society" and hinted at the end of Yoon's political career. The newspaper also published images of anti-Yoon protests in Seoul.

See also

• 16 May coup – 1961 military coup in South KoreaPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets
• October Restoration – 1972 self-coup by South Korean President Park Chung-hee
• Coup d'état of December Twelfth – 1979 coup d'état in South Korea that brought Chun Doo-hwan to power
• 2019 South Korean National Assembly attack – an incident where supporters of the Liberty Korea Party, a predecessor of the People Power Party, illegally invaded the National Assembly and violently attacked lawmakers of other parties.
• Impeachment of Park Geun-hye#Plans for a potential military response to protests – 2016 South Korean president impeachment. Defense Security Command plan in 2017 to declare martial law in the event South Korean president Park Geun-hye was not impeached by the Constitutional Court
• 2016 Turkish coup attempt – Failed military coup in Turkey

External links

• Media related to 2024 South Korean martial law at Wikimedia Commons