South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law late Tuesday, accusing opposition forces of sympathizing with North Korea and vowing to eliminate “anti-state” elements. His declaration followed months of political tensions, with the opposition controlling the parliament. However, within hours, South Korea's parliament voted to reverse the president's decision, with National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik declaring that lawmakers would “protect democracy with the people.” Woo called for the military and police to withdraw from the Assembly grounds.

The president’s move, reminiscent of past authoritarian measures not seen in South Korea since the 1980s, was swiftly condemned by both the opposition and the leader of Yoon’s own conservative party. In the wake of the declaration, South Korea’s military announced that political gatherings, including those in parliament, would be suspended. The military also instructed striking doctors to return to work within 48 hours, threatening arrest without a warrant for violators.

Read: Emergency martial law declared in South Korea

Under South Korean law, martial law can be lifted by a majority vote in parliament, which is currently dominated by the opposition Democratic Party. The National Assembly’s swift response saw all 190 participating lawmakers voting in favor of rescinding the martial law, with TV footage showing soldiers leaving the parliament grounds afterward.

Earlier, there were scenes of military and police presence around parliament, with soldiers seen carrying rifles and helicopters circling overhead. The conservative People Power Party’s leader, Han Dong-hoon, described the martial law declaration as “wrong,” while opposition leader Lee Jae-myung called it “illegal and unconstitutional.”

In a televised address, President Yoon stated that martial law was necessary to prevent the nation from "falling into the depths of national ruin." He vowed to eliminate pro-North Korean forces and protect South Korea’s democratic order. Yoon, who has faced political challenges and a dip in approval ratings, has been struggling to push his agenda against an opposition-controlled parliament.

Yoon’s martial law declaration is the first in South Korea since its democratization in 1987 and the first since the last martial law was imposed in 1979.

Source: With inputs from agencies