Lawmakers and members of South Korea’s main opposition party On Wednesday, gathered in Seoul to demand the resignation of President Yoon Suk Yeol after his televised declaration of martial law sparked a night of political turmoil.
Opposition urges President to step down immediately
The opposition Democratic Party issued a statement urging President Yoon to step down immediately. “If President Yoon does not step down, we will begin impeachment proceedings in line with the will of the people,” the statement read. “We will fight to the end alongside the people to safeguard democracy and the constitutional order of the Republic of Korea.”
The president had declared martial law, citing the actions of the Democratic Party, a liberal coalition that he accused of controlling parliament, sympathizing with North Korea, and paralyzing the government. As part of the declaration, Yoon imposed a ban on political activities, including rallies and protests, and called for a halt to the “dissemination of fake news” and public opinion manipulation. Under the order, the state would have controlled all press.
President Yoon announces withdrawal of troops
The announcement prompted widespread protests, and just hours later, the National Assembly voted early Wednesday morning to demand that President Yoon revoke the martial law order. The South Korean constitution requires the president to comply with such a parliamentary vote, and a majority in the assembly called for the decree’s immediate lifting.
In response, Yoon announced the withdrawal of troops deployed to enforce martial law, stating, “Martial law will be lifted as soon as we have a quorum in the cabinet.” The State Council then convened to formally vote on lifting the measure.
In a further development, South Korea’s Presidential Chief of Staff Jeong Jin-seok and nine other senior presidential secretaries announced their resignations, according to the South Korean presidential office.
Also Read: The Midnight K-Drama Explained: Why Yoon Suk-yeol Suddenly Declared Martial Law?
