South Korean Parliament Votes to End Emergency Martial Law
Seoul, December 4, 2024 – In a swift and unanimous decision, theSouth Korean National Assembly today voted to revoke the emergency martial law declared by President Yoon Suk-yeol just yesterday. The resolution, passed with the support ofall 190 attending lawmakers, effectively nullifies the decree and brings an abrupt end to the controversial measure.
The vote, held during a plenary session, saw the participation of all 18 members of the ruling People Power Party’s “pro-Han” faction (allegedly loyal to party leader Han Dong-hoon) and all 172 opposition lawmakers. The resolutionpassed with a unanimous vote.
National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-sik declared the martial law null and void following the vote. Based on the Assembly’s decision, the President must immediately lift martial law, Speaker Woo stated. The martial law order is now invalid. The National Assembly will protect the people and defend democracy.
President Yoon’s announcement of emergency martial law on December 3rd cited the need to suppress what he termed “pro-North Korean” forces and to safeguard the constitutional order. This declaration sparked immediate controversy andwidespread condemnation from opposition parties who viewed the move as an overreach of executive power.
The swift parliamentary action hinges on Article 77, Clause 5 of the South Korean Constitution. This clause mandates that the President must lift martial law if a majority of sitting National Assembly members vote to do so. The unanimousvote today triggered this constitutional provision, leaving President Yoon with no legal recourse but to comply.
The events surrounding this dramatic reversal highlight the delicate balance of power within South Korean politics and the significant checks and balances built into the nation’s constitutional framework. While the immediate crisis appears averted, the underlying political tensions remain,promising further developments in the coming days and weeks. The long-term consequences of President Yoon’s actions and the speed of the parliamentary response will undoubtedly be a subject of intense scrutiny and debate.
References:
- Yonhap News Agency. (December 4, 2024). SouthKorean Parliament Votes to End Emergency Martial Law. [Link to Yonhap News Agency article – This would be the actual link to the article if it existed online]. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
Note: This article uses information provided in the Korean language source. The translationand interpretation are my own, and any inaccuracies are unintentional. Further investigation and corroboration from multiple sources would be necessary for a fully comprehensive news report. The article also assumes the existence of an online version of the Yonhap News Agency article for citation purposes.
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