Overnight, South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law in a last-ditch attempt to retain political control. As President Yoon receives more and more disdain from the public from various scandals in a government controlled by the opposition as of the recent election, he justified the use of martial law by using it as a response to “anti-state pro-North Korean forces.”

190 of 300 South Korean officials voted to deny the declaration of Martial Law, and President Yoon accepted the vote, lifting martial law mere hours after it began, having inspired protests right outside of the National Assembly all night in Seoul.

But what happens next? As protests continue, South Korean citizens and officials try to understand what the next steps are for the government, the President, and how this factors into international relations.

Image: Image: Shutterstock – Steve Edreff

Produced By: Steven Samaras

Featured In Story: Dr Leonid Petrov, Dean of Business and Management at the International College of Management Sydney

First aired on The Wire, Wednesday 4 December 2024