Blitz Bureau
SOUTH Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol announced the lifting of martial law on December 3, just hours after imposing it in a late-night move. The reversal came after lawmakers in the National Assembly unanimously voted to block the measure with the US expressing “grave concern” over the hourslong political drama.
The Cabinet approved a motion to end martial law enforcement at 4:30 a.m., around six hours after he made the surprise emergency declaration, accusing the nation’s opposition of “paralysing” the Government with “anti-state” activities — a decision that caused concerns across the country and beyond, Yonhap news agency reported.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff said that troops, who were mobilised to execute martial law, have returned to base in a move that restored a sense of normalcy.
“At 11 p.m. on Tuesday night, I declared emergency martial law with my resolute intent to save the nation in the face of anti-state forces that attempt to paralyse the nation’s essential function and the constitutional order of free democracy,” he said. “But there was a demand from the National Assembly for the lifting of martial law, (I) have withdrawn troops mobilised to execute martial law affairs,” he added.
Yoon reiterated his calls for the National Assembly to stop “outrageous” activities that he said paralyse national functions, including impeachment attempts against government officials. After the lifting of the law, members of the opposition bloc ramped up criticism of Yoon with some even threatening to initiate a motion to impeach the President.
