SEOUL, South Korea (AP) 鈥� The president of South Korea early Wednesday lifted the martial law he imposed on the country hours earlier, bending to political pressure after in which troops surrounded parliament and lawmakers voted to reject military rule.
President Yoon Suk Yeol, who appeared likely to be impeached over his actions, imposed martial law late Tuesday out of frustration with the opposition, vowing to eliminate 鈥渁nti-state鈥� forces as he who control parliament and that he accuses of sympathizing with communist North Korea.
Police and military personnel were seen leaving the grounds of parliament following the bipartisan vote to overrule the president, and the declaration was formally lifted around 4:30 a.m. during a Cabinet meeting.
Parliament acted swiftly after martial law was imposed, with National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik declaring that the law was 鈥渋nvalid鈥� and that lawmakers would 鈥減rotect democracy with the people.鈥�
In all, martial law was in effect for about six hours.
The president鈥檚 surprising move harkened back to an era of authoritarian leaders that the country has not seen since the 1980s, and it was immediately denounced by the opposition and the leader of Yoon鈥檚 own conservative party.
, leader of the liberal Democratic Party, which holds the majority in the 300-seat parliament, said the party鈥檚 lawmakers would remain in the Assembly鈥檚 main hall until Yoon formally lifted his order.
Woo applauded how troops quickly left the Assembly after the vote.
鈥淓ven with our unfortunate memories of military coups, our citizens have surely observed the events of today and saw the maturity of our military,鈥� Woo said.
While announcing his plan to lift martial law, Yoon continued to criticize parliament鈥檚 attempts to impeach key government officials and senior prosecutors. He said lawmakers had engaged in 鈥渦nscrupulous acts of legislative and budgetary manipulation that are paralyzing the functions of the state.鈥�
Jo Seung-lae, a Democratic lawmaker, claimed that security camera footage following Yoon鈥檚 declaration showed that troops moved in a way that suggested they were trying to arrest Lee, Woo and even Han Dong-hoon, the leader of Yoon鈥檚 People Power Party.
Officials from Yoon鈥檚 office and the Defense Ministry did not respond to requests for comment early Wednesday.
Seemingly hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the Assembly, waving banners and calling for Yoon鈥檚 impeachment.
Some protesters scuffled with troops ahead of the lawmakers鈥� vote, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or major property damage. At least one window was broken as troops attempted to enter the Assembly building. One woman tried unsuccessfully to pull a rifle away from one of the soldiers, while shouting 鈥淎ren鈥檛 you embarrassed?鈥�
Under South Korea鈥檚 constitution, the president can declare martial law during 鈥渨artime, war-like situations or other comparable national emergency states鈥� that require the use of military force to maintain peace and order. It was questionable whether South Korea is currently in such a state.
When martial law is declared, 鈥渟pecial measures鈥� can be employed to restrict freedom of press, freedom of assembly and other rights, as well as the power of courts.
The constitution also states that the president must oblige when the National Assembly demands the lifting of martial law with a majority vote.
Following Yoon鈥檚 announcement of martial law, South Korea鈥檚 military proclaimed that parliament and other political gatherings that could cause 鈥渟ocial confusion鈥� would be suspended, South Korea鈥檚 Yonhap news agency said. The military said anyone who violated the decree could be arrested without a warrant.
In Washington, the White House said the U.S. was 鈥渟eriously concerned鈥� by the events in Seoul. A spokesperson for the National Security Council said President Joe Biden鈥檚 administration was not notified in advance of the martial law announcement and was in contact with the South Korean government.
Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said there was no effect on the more than 27,000 U.S. service members based in South Korea.
The South Korean military also said that the country鈥檚 striking doctors should return to work within 48 hours, Yonhap said. Thousands of doctors have been striking for months over government plans to expand the number of students at medical schools.
Soon after martial law was declared, the parliament speaker called on his YouTube channel for all lawmakers to gather at the National Assembly. He urged military and law enforcement personnel to 鈥渞emain calm and hold their positions.
All 190 lawmakers who participated in the vote supported the lifting of martial law.
At one point, television footage showed police officers blocking the entrance of the National Assembly and helmeted soldiers carrying rifles in front of the building. An Associated Press photographer saw at least three helicopters, likely from the military, that landed inside the Assembly grounds, while two or three helicopters circled above the site.
The leader of Yoon鈥檚 conservative party called the decision to impose martial law 鈥渨rong.鈥� Lee, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election, said Yoon鈥檚 announcement was 鈥渋llegal and unconstitutional.鈥�
Yoon said during a televised speech that martial law would help 鈥渞ebuild and protect鈥� the country from 鈥渇alling into the depths of national ruin.鈥� He said he would 鈥渆radicate pro-North Korean forces and protect the constitutional democratic order.鈥�
鈥淚 will eliminate anti-state forces as quickly as possible and normalize the country,鈥� he said, while asking the people to believe in him and tolerate 鈥渟ome inconveniences.鈥�
Yoon 鈥� whose approval rating dipped in recent months 鈥� has struggled to push his agenda against an opposition-controlled parliament since taking office in 2022.
His party has been locked in an impasse with the liberal opposition over next year鈥檚 budget bill. The opposition has also attempted to impeach three top prosecutors, including the chief of the central Seoul prosecutors鈥� office, in what the conservatives have called a vendetta against their criminal investigations of Lee, who has been seen as the favorite for the next presidential election in 2027 in opinion polls.
During his televised announcement, Yoon also described the opposition as 鈥渟hameless pro-North Korean anti-state forces who are plundering the freedom and happiness of our citizens.鈥� He did not elaborate.
Yoon has taken a hard line on North Korea over its nuclear ambitions, departing from the policies of his liberal predecessor, Moon Jae-in, who pursued inter-Korean engagement.
Yoon has also dismissed calls for independent investigations into scandals involving his wife and top officials, drawing quick, strong rebukes from his political rivals.
Yoon鈥檚 move was the first declaration of martial law since the country鈥檚 democratization in 1987. The country鈥檚 last previous martial law was in October 1979, following the assassination of former military dictator Park Chung-hee.
Sydney Seiler, Korean chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, argued that the move was symbolic for Yoon to express his frustration with the opposition-controlled parliament.
鈥淗e has nothing to lose,鈥� said Seiler, comparing Yoon鈥檚 move to the Hail Mary pass in American football, with a slim chance of success.
Now Yoon faces likely impeachment, a scenario that was also possible before he made the bold move, Seiler said.
Natalia Slavney, research analyst at the Stimson Center鈥檚 38 North website that focuses on Korean affairs, said Yoon鈥檚 imposition of martial law was 鈥渁 serious backslide of democracy" that followed a 鈥渨orrying trend of abuse鈥� since he took office in 2022.
South Korea 鈥渉as a robust history of political pluralism and is no stranger to mass protests and swift impeachments,鈥� Slavney said, citing the example of former President Park Geun-hye, the country鈥檚 first female president, who was ousted from office and imprisoned for .
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Associated Press writers Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea, and Matt Lee, Didi Tang and Tara Copp in Washington contributed to this report.
Kim Tong-hyung, The Associated Press
