South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol launches the shortest martial law in history, facing impeachment crisis | WPN World People News

In response to growing domestic social discontent and waves of protests, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol unexpectedly announced the imposition of martial law on the evening of December 3. However, the martial law was lifted within hours after a majority vote in the National Assembly, making it the shortest in South Korean history. This decision quickly sparked strong reactions across society, becoming a hot topic nationwide and leading to intense debates. It also created a severe political crisis for the Yoon administration, which now faces the prospect of impeachment proceedings.

In April this year, during the National Assembly elections, the progressive Democratic Party (DP) easily secured a majority, while Yoon’s conservative People Power Party suffered a crushing defeat, leading to a "small ruling party, large opposition" situation. By November, Yoon’s approval rating had fallen below 20%, far below the over 50% it had been when he first took office.

Last week, the National Assembly voted to cut Yoon’s 2025 budget by $3 billion, aiming to curb the president’s power. The budget cuts directly targeted the Blue House, the National Prosecutor’s Office, and the police. In response, on the evening of December 3, Yoon suddenly declared a state of emergency, claiming it was to "protect the free Republic of Korea from the threat of North Korean communist forces" and to eliminate the pro-North Korea factions willing to use any means necessary.

However, this decision triggered significant backlash. Many citizens and political analysts considered Yoon’s move a severe challenge to the democratic system, accusing him of abusing his power and sidelining national security and citizens’ basic rights. South Korea’s opposition parties and human rights organizations quickly issued statements condemning the action, demanding the immediate reversal of the martial law order.

Ultimately, with all 190 members present in the National Assembly voting in favor, Yoon decided to rescind the martial law order that evening and issued an apology to the nation. Due to the widespread skepticism and dissatisfaction caused by the incident, the opposition parties immediately initiated impeachment proceedings against Yoon, accusing him of abusing presidential powers in an emergency situation and endangering the country’s democratic system and civil liberties.