South Korea’s president has decided to lift the martial law declaration he had imposed, following a parliamentary vote against the measure.
President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law to combat “antistate forces” within his opposition on Tuesday. However, lawmakers rejected the declaration amidst protests outside parliament, marking a significant political crisis in the country.
“In response to the National Assembly’s demand to lift martial law, I have instructed the withdrawal of military forces involved in such operations,” Yoon announced in a televised speech. “We will adhere to the National Assembly’s request and proceed with revoking martial law through an immediate cabinet meeting.”
The cabinet agreed early Wednesday morning to reverse their decision and lift martial law.
Yoon’s unexpected declaration targeted his political adversaries but was unanimously voted down by 190 lawmakers in parliament.
According to South Korean law, if parliament demands it by majority vote, the president must promptly revoke martial law. Even Yoon’s party urged him to rescind the decree.
Despite this, Yoon called on parliament to halt actions that hinder government functionality immediately.
Al Jazeera’s Eunice Kim reported from Seoul that there seems to be a shift towards normalcy in the country now. However, she warned that President Yoon’s opponents are unlikely to remain passive after this development and emphasized that there will be consequences.
Since assuming office in 2022, President Yoon has faced challenges pushing his agenda against an opposition-led parliament. He has also faced criticism for dismissing calls for independent investigations into scandals involving his wife and top officials from political rivals.
The crisis unfolding…
Article from www.aljazeera.com