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South Korean opposition lawmakers moved Wednesday to impeach President Yun Seok-Yeol after he shocked East Asia’s democracies by imposing martial law, only to lift it hours later after intense pressure.
Six opposition parties, led by the Democratic Party, which controls the National Assembly, filed articles of impeachment against Yun on Wednesday afternoon local time, jointly taking swift action against what the Democratic Party called the Yun administration’s “unconstitutional and illegal declaration of martial law.” I responded.
Democratic Party chief spokesperson Cho Seung-rae said the party would also begin impeachment proceedings against Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, adding that all three senior officials should also be charged with rioting.
Cho said martial law commander General Park Ahn-soo, National Police Chief Yoon Hee-geun and other key military and police participants will also be charged with sedition.
Han Dong-hoon, leader of Yun’s People’s Power Party (PPP), said that the six-hour martial law had brought the country to a near standstill, and that his party “respects and abides by the spirit of the constitution.” ” he said.
He said PPP officials were discussing whether Yoon should leave the party, but said the party would investigate the entire situation and did not mention that Yoon should resign as party leader.
Government officials rushed to reassure South Koreans, many of whom slept through the country’s six-hour martial law that began late Tuesday night and ended by Wednesday morning.
“I fully understand the great anxiety you may be feeling,” Prime Minister Han Deok-soo said in a statement, adding that he takes full responsibility for “the entire process that led to the current situation.”
“From this moment on, the Cabinet, together with civil servants from all ministries and agencies, is committed to ensuring the stability of the country and the uninterrupted continuation of your daily lives,” he said.
Yun’s office announced Wednesday that all of his chief of staff and chief of staff to the president have submitted their resignations. However, there was no other comment from Yoon, who canceled his official schedule for the day.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed Yun’s order to lift emergency martial law.
“We continue to hope that political differences will be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law,” Blinken said in a statement.
The South Korean stock market opened normally on Wednesday, with stocks down about 2% in early trading, CNBC reported. South Korea’s currency, the won, rose against the dollar in early trading but remained near a two-year low hit late Tuesday after Yun declared martial law.
At a press conference in Seoul, S&P credit rating agency officials said the short-term martial law is not expected to affect South Korea’s credit rating.
Mr. Yoon, who will be inaugurated as a conservative government in 2022, has had difficulty promoting policies against the opposition Democratic Party that controls Congress, and his approval ratings have declined. Democratic lawmakers are seeking to impeach several government officials and are battling with Yun over next year’s budget.
Yun abruptly announced martial law in a late-night televised speech on Tuesday, accusing opposition politicians of paralyzing the government and calling for emergency measures to “protect the constitutional order based on freedom and eradicate shameful pro-North Korean forces.” He said he was declaring a situation. Korean anti-national groups are robbing our people of their freedom and happiness. ”
Although Yun has taken a tougher stance on North Korea than his Democratic predecessor, his orders also aim to protect South Korea from a nuclear-armed communist state with which it is effectively at war. He said it would be.
Immediately after Yun’s announcement, martial law was declared, and all political activities, including demonstrations and parliamentary operations, were prohibited. He also declared all media and publications under the control of the martial law command and ordered striking doctors across the country to return to work within 48 hours.
This is the first time martial law has been declared in South Korea since 1980. South Korea, a country of 50 million people, was under military dictatorship for decades before transitioning into a vibrant democracy and the world’s 10th largest economy.
U.S. officials said Tuesday they had not been informed of Yun’s announcement in advance, but confirmed the “ironclad” nature of the U.S. alliance with South Korea, which hosts about 28,500 U.S. troops.
Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said martial law would have “essentially no effect” on the U.S. military.
Lawmakers began arriving at the National Assembly in central Seoul within minutes of Yoon’s announcement, but police blocked them from entering. National Assembly Secretary-General Kim Min-ki announced on Wednesday that the Ministry of Defense had also dispatched 200 to 300 armed troops to the National Assembly grounds by helicopter.
A crowd of demonstrators opposing the declaration of martial law also arrived at the building.
Within hours, lawmakers passed a resolution nullifying Yun’s declaration, and soldiers immediately complied with orders to leave the National Assembly. The People’s Power Party, led by Yun, called on the president to accept the decision of the lawmakers and rescind martial law.
In a televised address to the nation as dawn approached, Yun accepted the parliamentary resolution and said at an odd hour that martial law would be lifted as soon as a quorum of ministers was reached.
“That being said, I urge the National Assembly to immediately halt the repeated acts of impeachment, legislative manipulation, and budget sabotage that paralyze the nation’s functions.”
Martial law was lifted around 4:30 a.m. local time Wednesday (2:30 p.m. Tuesday ET). South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff announced that the dispatched troops returned at 4:22 a.m. and that no unusual activity was detected from North Korea.
National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik said the military’s immediate withdrawal from the building is “a sign of a mature and democratic military.”
“Even our people, who have painful memories of past military coups, would have observed the military’s maturity in today’s situation,” Wu said.
National Assembly Secretary-General Kim said that the “illegal closure” of the National Assembly, obstruction of members’ entry, and dispatch of the military had “inflicted deep wounds on the hearts of the people.”
He said he had barred Ministry of Defense officials, police and other officials from entering parliament as an emergency measure “to protect parliamentarians and ensure the functioning of parliament.”
Stella Kim reported from Seoul, South Korea, and Jennifer Jett reported from Hong Kong.
This article first appeared on NBCNews.com. More from NBC News:
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