2024 South Korean martial law crisis

2024 South Korean martial law crisis
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 2024 legislative election fraud conspiracy theory claims
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 Resignations and arrests of ministers and members of Yoon's cabinet Nationwide protests Arrest and suicide attempt of Kim Yong-hyun Impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol Impeachment of Han Duck-soo
Parties
Yoon administration Ministry of National Defense (MND) Republic of Korea Army 707th Special Mission Group 1st Special Forces Brigade (Airborne) 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 (PPP) 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 crisis
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. On 12 December, he stated that he would "fight to the end" and that the martial law declaration was an "act of governance" to protect against anti-state forces. It is more widely believed the declaration was motivated by political issues with the DPK-controlled Assembly over repeated impeachment attempts against officials, opposition to his budget, and various scandals involving him and his wife Kim Keon-hee.

Yoon was impeached on 14 December by the National Assembly and suspended from office pending a final ruling by the Constitutional Court on whether to confirm his removal from the presidency. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo briefly served as acting president until he was also impeached on 27 December, making Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok acting president.

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 58% of the population in a November 2024 survey supporting either Yoon's resignation or impeachment. 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 retained its majority 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 three separate bills that called for a special counsel investigation into his wife, the third occurring on 26 November 2024. On 2 December 2024, the opposition-controlled parliament moved to impeach Board of Audit and Inspection Chair Choe Jae-hae and three prosecutors involved in two scandals surrounding Kim and rejected the government's 2025 budget proposal.

Early planning of martial law

During prosecution questioning, former DCC commander Lieutenant General Yeo In-hyung testified that President Yoon first mentioned "taking emergency action" to address "difficult social issues" in late December 2023, which Yeo interpreted it as referring to the failed martial law. At the end of March 2024, President Yoon invited the then-Defense Minister Shin Won-sik, National Intelligence Service Director Cho Tae-yong, and Presidential Security Service Director Kim Yong-hyun for dinner and reportedly expressed his intention to "declare martial law soon." At the dinner, Minister Shin and Director Cho expressed their opposition. Minister Shin, concerned about the implementation of martial law, called Director Kim and the then DCC commander Yeo in private right after the dinner to discuss blocking of any such moves. Yeo added that Yoon started mentioning martial law more often following the PPP's defeat in the April 2024 legislative election. Eventually, Shin was shuffled out of the role of Defense Minister to become Director of the Office of National Security, while Kim Yong-hyun was selected to replace Shin in September 2024.

The 27 December 2024 unsealed indictment of Kim Yong-hyun revealed that President Yoon met with former Minister Kim, Commander Yeo, and others about 10 times since March 2024 to discuss the imposition of martial law.

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 began suggesting that 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, Lieutenant General Yeo In-hyung, in November 2024. Police investigators also found that Defense Intelligence Command chief Major General Moon Sang-ho, his predecessor, Noh Sang-won and two colonels also met at a Lotteria fast food restaurant in Ansan on 1 December to discuss preparations for the declaration.

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, citing a source from within the military, 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".

During police investigations into the martial law declaration, a memo was recovered from a notebook owned by former Army Maj. Gen. Noh Sang-won, former chief of the Defense Intelligence Command, in his residence in Ansan. The memo reportedly contained details of a plot to provoke North Korea by generating an incident along the Northern Limit Line.

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 democracy 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 the 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

On the morning of 3 December, former Army Maj. Gen. Noh Sang-won, former chief of the Defense Intelligence Command met with Defense Minister Kim at his official residence, for a meeting lasting 20 to 30 minutes. In the afternoon, Minister Kim instructed Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Park An-su, and five other military officials to report to his office at 21:30.

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. However, subsequent investigations revealed that Cho, and Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner General Kim Bong-sik met with Minister Kim and President Yoon at 19:00, and the two police officials were given a list of about 10 people to be arrested along with plans to occupy the National Assembly and National Election Commission via a martial law declaration at 22:00.

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

2024 South Korean martial law timeline

Yoon declaring emergency martial law

3 December (KST) 22:23: Yoon Suk Yeol makes his emergency address to the nation. 22:27: Yoon Suk Yeol declares martial law. 22:42: The opposition Democratic Party, which holds a legislative majority, urgently convenes National Assembly members. 23:04: The National Assembly entrance is closed. 23:25: Army Chief of Staff Park An-su is appointed martial law commander. 23:30: Park An-su declares decree on martial law. 23:45: Minister of Defense Kim Yong-hyun orders the entire military to be on high alert. Around 23:57: The 707th Special Mission Group of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces appear in front of the National Assembly Proceeding Hall, and clashes with aides and congressional staff continue.

4 December (KST) 00:12: Martial law troops attempt to enter the back door of the National Assembly. 00:36: Airborne troops break through the glass windows of the National Assembly and enter. 01:02: The National Assembly votes unanimously to lift martial law. 01:08: Woo Won-shik, Speaker of the National Assembly, tells the military to leave the National Assembly Proceeding Hall. 01:11: Martial law forces inside and outside the National Assembly begin to withdraw. 04:26: Yoon Suk Yeol accepts the National Assembly's vote, withdraws the military, and announces in a public address that martial law would be lifted. 04:49: The Martial Law Command is disbanded.

The full text of Translation:2024 Declaration of Martial Law in the Republic of Korea at Wikisource The full text of 2024년 대한민국 비상계엄 선포 at Wikisource

At 22:23 on 3 December, Yoon Suk Yeol began making his 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 that ran from 22:17 to 22:22, in which a majority of the 19 cabinet members were "strongly against" the decision.

At 22:30, Minister Kim addressed a video conference of all military commanders above the corps commander level and threatened officers with punishment for insubordination if they did not follow their deployment orders. Yoon appointed Chief of Staff of the Republic of Korea Army Park An-su as his martial law commander.

A defense ministry report obtained by DPK representative Bak Seung-a stated that around 1,580 troops, 107 military vehicles, 12 Black Hawk helicopters and more than 9,000 rounds of live ammunition were deployed for the implementation of martial law. MBC also reported that the military brought 4,980 blank ammunition rounds and 100 cartridges for stun guns throughout its mobilization for martial law, while 5,000 live ammunition rounds and some 3,000 blanks were deployed at the National Assembly alone.

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). NEC officials allegedly had their phones 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 made 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 authorities. 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 stating that a DCC brigadier general assaulted a major for questioning deployment orders and forced him on a bus to seize the NEC servers. Rep. Lee also highlighted that some troops wasted time after arriving at the NEC, by eating ramyeon at a nearby convenience store, after judging their deployment orders to be illegal. 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". On 13 December, NEC Chairman Rho Tae-ak said in a National Assembly hearing that sending martial-law troops to take over the NEC was inexcusably illegal and unconstitutional. On 19 December, the NIS also confirmed, in a report to the National Assembly, that there was no evidence of election rigging.

The unsealed indictment of former Minister Kim on 27 December revealed, Commander of the Intelligence Command, Moon Sang-ho and his predecessor Noh Sang-won intended for 30 troops to detain NEC staff and tie them up with ropes and put masks on their faces, to be sent for detention due to election fraud. Evidence was found of awls, ropes, hammers, cable ties and baseball bats belonging to the arrest team to be used when carrying out the arrests.

Plans for mass detention of political figures

At 22:28, Defense Minister Kim instructed DCC Commander Lieutenant General Yeo In-hyung to go ahead with the arrest of politicians on a target list.

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 (NEC) Chairman Kwon Soon-il

Hong also mentioned that there were others on the list, including another NEC member whose name he could not recall and the head of a major labor union, either the Federation of Korean Trade Unions or the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions.

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 center 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.

On 9 December, Police Commissioner Cho testified before the Judiciary Committee of the National Assembly that he had received a call from DCC Commander Yeo sometime between 22:30 and 22:40 on 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 had revealed the previous week, except 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.

On 13 December, a lawyer representing Commissioner Cho said that Yoon had also ordered the arrest of Seoul Central District Court Judge Kim Dong-hyun, who had acquitted Lee Jae-myung of perjury charges in November 2024.

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.

The unsealed indictment of Defense Minister Kim on 27 December revealed that he had begun drafting the martial law decree on 24 November, by using reference to the martial law documents drafted under the leadership of the Defense Security Command during the Park Geun-hye impeachment in March 2017 and past martial law proclamations. President Yoon ordered a nighttime curfew reference to be dropped from the decree.

Impact

The announcement of martial law was met by surprise and panic amongst the South Korean public. 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 for Telegram and VPNs increased 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 related to martial law.

Following the announcement, the Korean won fell to 1,444 against the US dollar, its weakest level in 25 months. It later rose to around 1,420, still weaker than the previous day's rate 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

Military helicopters approaching the National Assembly carrying troops

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

National Assembly vote summary of lifting martial law

  Yes

  Not present

From 22:48, martial law forces initially requested permission from the Capital Defense Command several times to allow helicopters to fly over restricted airspace to seize the National Assembly. However, approval was repeatedly rejected on the grounds that the purpose of the flights was unknown. Permission for the helicopter flights was only approved at 23:31. Twenty-four helicopter flights carried 240 troops to the National Assembly, until 01:18 the next morning.

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, with some assistance from civilians. 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 premises. 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, attempting to enter the building, leading to scuffles with aides and legislative staff who tried to prevent their entry. DPK spokeswoman Ahn Gwi-ryeong was seen trying to seize a rifle from a soldier before the soldier pointed it at her briefly, prompting her to berate the soldier saying "Aren't you ashamed?" as the soldier 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.

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 and police to leave the Assembly as "declaration of extraordinary martial law is now void" while reiterating that the president did not notify the National Assembly on implementing martial law as prescribed in the Constitution. 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 plenary session was only adjourned at 05:54 upon confirmation from the State Council that martial law had been withdrawn.

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.

Subsequent investigations revealed that President Yoon ordered Commander Kwak, and Capital Defense Commander Lee Jin-woo to break through the plenary chamber doors to drag the lawmakers out at 00:40 to 00:50 hours, which was too late as the lawmakers had begun the session to end martial law at that time. In the indictment of Kim Yong-hyun on 27 December by the special prosecution team, it also revealed Yoon told Commander Lee, "break down the doors, even if it means shooting", "Even if martial law is lifted, I just have to declare martial law two or three times, so keep going.”, and Minister Kim also prioritized the arrests and detention of Lee Jae-myung, Woo Won-sik, and Han Dong-hoon from the National Assembly.

Confrontations took place at the complex's main gate between security forces and civilians. Crowds gathered as soon as martial law was declared, 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 lives".

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, as well as outside the Presidential Residence. Candlelight rallies and related activities were 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) Counter-protest: 30,000 150,000 police

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

South Korean protesters demanding the resignation of Yoon in Vienna, Austria, 13 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

Main article: Impeachment of 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 and claiming the martial law declaration was a legitimate "act of governance" against "forces and criminal groups that have been responsible for paralysing the country's government". Yoon accused the opposition of disrupting the constitution instead through obstructionism, arguing "The opposition parties are currently dancing a frenzied sword dance, saying that the declaration of emergency martial law was a crime of insurrection, but is that really so? Who are the forces currently paralyzing the government and disrupting the constitution of Korea?", while further claiming that the opposition majority National Assembly had taken North Korea's side in disputes, and that it was "a monster that destroys the constitutional order of liberal democracy".

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, four PPP metropolitan and provincial executives, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, South Chungcheong Province Governor Kim Tae-heum, North Chungcheong Province Governor Kim Young-hwan, and Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok, publicly declared their support for Yoon's impeachment.

On 14 December, the National Assembly voted to impeach Yoon, with 204 lawmakers, including 12 from the PPP, supporting impeachment. Yoon's presidential powers were suspended immediately upon the delivery of the impeachment resolution to the Presidential Office. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo stepped in as acting president, and the impeachment motion proceeded to the Constitutional Court.

On 27 December, 192 MPs in the National Assembly voted to impeach Han Duck-soo for blocking investigations against Yoon and his wife, colluding with Yoon on martial law and blocking the appointment of justices to fill vacancies in the Constitutional Court. Despite being boycotted by the PPP, Han’s impeachment was made possible with a simple majority because Han was Prime Minister rather than the elected president, as announced by National Assembly speaker Woo Won-shik. This made Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok the new acting president.

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. Defense Minister Kim Yonh-hyun resigned the same day. 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 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 related 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.

On 12 December, in a plenary session, the National Assembly passed a bill calling for a special counsel probe into the insurrection charges against Yoon. On the same day, a special police investigation team and the Defense Ministry's investigation unit jointly raided the Defense Ministry and the Capital Defense Command, securing a "secret phone" of Kim Yong-hyun and the phone's server data.

On 13 December, a court formally issued arrest warrants for KNP Commissioner Cho and Seoul Metropolitan Police Chief Kim, citing concerns over evidence tampering. That same day, Capital Defense Command head Lee Jin-woo was also arrested.

On 14 December, prosecutors arrested DCC chief, Lt Gen. Yeo In-hyung.

On 16 December, police arrested Defense Intelligence Command chief Maj. Gen. Moon Sang-ho over his role in the NEC raid. His predecessor, Noh Sang-won was also arrested on suspicion of helping Yoon draft his martial law plans in a civilian capacity. That same day, a military court ordered the arrests of Lt. Gen. Kwak Jong-geun, former chief of the Special Warfare Command and Lt. Gen. Lee Jin-woo, former head of the Capital Defense Command.

On 17 December, Park An-su was arrested following a warrant.

On 26 December, the defense ministry suspended Brig. Gen. Koo Sam-hoe, commander of the Army's 2nd Armored Brigade, and Brig. Gen. Bang Jeong-hwan, head of the ministry's operational control transition task force, for their role in the planning of martial law and Koo's attempts to mobilize a tank unit.

Yoon Suk Yeol was summoned twice by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials for questioning on 18 December and 25 December over his declaration of martial law. On both occasions he refused to undergo the process.

Police raids and Kim Yong-hyun suicide attempt

On 11 December 2024, police raided 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, the former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun attempted to commit suicide at the detention facility while in custody.

On 12 December, police raided the Joint Chiefs of Staff headquarters adjacent to the presidential compound, as well as the Capital Defense Command headquarters. On 13 December, police raided the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police headquarters to investigate the unit's role during martial law. Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police had dispatched police forces to the NEC after the martial law declaration.

On 17 December, a joint investigation team launched a raid on the offices of the Presidential Security Service.

On 27 December, police raided a presidential safehouse in Samcheong-dong believed to have hosted preparatory meetings for martial law and unsuccessfully tried to enter the Presidential Security Service.

Opinion polling

Opinion polling carried out by Realmeter on 4 December found that 73.4% of 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 conducted from 3 December to 5 December found that Yoon's approval rating had fallen by six percentage points to 13% since the martial law declaration, while the PPP's approval rating had fallen by five percentage points to 27%. Conversely, the DPK's approval rating had increased by four percentage points to 37%.

A Realmeter poll, released a week later on 12 December, found 74.8% of respondents supported either Yoon's immediate resignation or impeachment, while 16.2% supported the PPP's proposal of Yoon's orderly resignation. The poll also found that 66.2% of respondents had experienced trauma since the martial law declaration, 26.2% had experienced trauma but recovered, and 40.0% continued to experience trauma. A Gallup poll released on 13 December found that Yoon's approval rating had fallen further to 11%, with 49% of respondents citing his declaration of martial law as a reason to assess him negatively. 75% of respondents supported Yoon's impeachment, while 21% opposed. It also found that the PPP's approval rating had fallen by three percentage points to 24%, while the DPK's approval rating had increased by three percentage points to 40%. The same poll also found Speaker Woo Won-shik emerging as the most trusted politician in South Korea for his actions during martial law and the subsequent impeachment, with a rating of 56%.

Impact on South Korean military personnel

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

On 18 December, the Ministry of National Defense found "at least several dozen soldiers" were at high risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and required special care, after conducting psychological evaluations on all personnel dispatched during the martial law incident. The Ministry also reported that many were likely reluctant to seek counseling due to fear of being identified for their roles in the martial law operations. Many troops were given orders at the last minute and those who received orders to forcibly remove lawmakers were reported to suffer from significant psychological confusion and distress. In response, the ministry has introduced a civilian psychological counseling program to ensure anonymous support for affected troops. Reports also emerged of concerned parents of active soldiers experiencing shock and worry that their sons or daughters may have been involved in the operation.

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 and the 2023 Brazilian Congress 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".

Shim Young-sub, an adjunct professor of media video promotion at Kyung Hee Cyber University, noted that the martial law decree only mentioned regulations on legacy media but did not include the internet. Shim said attempting to suppress free speech "using a martial law document reminiscent of the 1980s [...] was a pipe dream".

Yang Sang-hoon, editor-in-chief of the conservative The Chosun Ilbo newspaper, called Yoon's martial law the "most foolish self-destructive incident in the history of Korean presidents" and apologized for doubting earlier predictions that Yoon would make such a move.

During a press conference in Stockholm on 6 December before delivering her Nobel lecture, 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate, South Korea's Han Kang, who wrote the novel Human Acts inspired by the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, called the martial law declaration a shock, but described sensing the "truthfulness and courage" of "unarmed citizens attempting to stop armed soldiers", "young police and soldiers who moved reluctantly, as if sensing some inner conflict" and "striving to do the least amount of harm as possible".

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 pro-democracy protests in the past. Unlike past military coups which had the endorsement of the United States, this was mainly a domestic political issue that was handled swiftly and decisively by South Koreans citizens without external interference. Combined 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 would not be accepted.

On 12 December, 510 psychiatrists issued a statement that "since Dec. 3, the whole nation has been suffering psychologically". They said in the statement "many people who remember the history of military dictatorship and state violence were forced to relive the trauma and experience a serious level of fear".

In the days following the botched martial law order, 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, portrayed 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. Additionally, a letter signed by 3,000 members of South Korea's film industry, including Parasite director Bong Joon-ho, said the martial law declaration threatened to send the Korean wave "into the abyss".

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 spokesperson 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. On the same day, North Korea's state TV described the incident as "chaos" and called the South a "fascist dictatorship".

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
• Korea Passing – Due to 2024 South Korean martial law crisis, there are concerns about South Korea's diplomatic isolation and the so-called "Korea Passing".

External links

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