DEMOCRACY IN PERIL
Democracy in peril
A failed attempt to impose martial law has left South Korea politically damaged and called into question Seoul’s commitment to democratic principles. Yvonne Gill reports
Massive protest rallies have recently rocked south Korea, staged by both supporters of the country’s ‘suspended’ President Yoon Suk Yeol and his opponents. The demonstrations followed Yoon’s botched bid to impose martial law, which plunged the country into its worst political crisis since the 1980s.
On December 3, 2024, the President went live on television to declare martial law, claiming that the opposition Democratic Party (DPK) was involved in ‘anti-state activities’ and was backing ‘North Korean communists’. The order put a hold on all political activities and restricted media freedom. Key political leaders belonging to the opposition DPK were arrested, along with some who were even affiliated to rival factions of his own People Power Party (PPP).
Within a few hours, 190 lawmakers, many of them jumping fences and breaking through military barricades, stormed the National Assembly and voted to overturn the decree. By 4:30am on December 4, Yoon had lifted martial law. Although he apologised, he also defended his decision, saying that he wanted to protect the country’s democracy. But the sordid episode had already shaken faith in Yoon’s leadership, and opened the door for his impeachment.

The National Assembly began impeachment proceedings against Yoon on December 4 itself. The initial vote on December 7 did not muster enough votes because some PPP lawmakers had boycotted the poll. However, the second vote on December 14 was a success, with 204 out of 300 legislators backing the motion.
Yoon was immediately suspended from office, and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo stepped in as Acting President. The Constitutional Court has to ratify the bill by a two-thirds majority. Only then will the impeachment come into force.
The former President has been charged with misusing his authority and not following the rules as laid down in the Constitution. He had declared martial law as a lone decision, without taking the State Council into his confidence or notifying the National Assembly.
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As if one impeachment was not enough, the opposition brought a second impeachment motion against Han, the Acting President, after he blocked the appointment of three judges that Parliament had chosen to be a part of the bench, citing the need for bipartisan agreement. Clearly, he was playing Yoon’s game.
South Korea’s Constitutional Court bench consists of up to nine members. A two-thirds majority means at least six judges must uphold Yoon’s impeachment for the decision to be constitutionally valid. At present, there are six judges on the bench, meaning a single dissenting vote could save Yoon from being impeached. By appointing three new judges, Yoon’s opponents want to ensure that the ratification of the impeachment does not fail.
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Pandemonium broke out in Parliament during the second impeachment vote on December 27 after National Assembly speaker Woo Won-shik announced that only a simple majority of 151 votes would be needed to ensure the passage of the bill, unlike the 200-vote threshold as in the case of Yoon’s impeachment. The bill was passed, despite with many from the ruling party boycotting the vote. Finance minister Choi Sang-mok has now replaced Han as the Acting President.
Now, the court will have to a give ruling within 180 days on both the bills, and if it upholds the impeachments, a new presidential election will have be held within the next 60 days.
Yoon’s declaration of martial law is widely seen as an attempted self-coup. This move is being interpreted as Yoon’s effort to centralise authority and silence dissent, amidst growing political and public opposition to his regime. Political isolation within his own party was making him desperate. Yoon has also faced legislative deadlock with the opposition Democratic Party (DPK), which controlled the National Assembly, blocking government initiatives, including budget proposals, while pursuing impeachment motions against officials close to Yoon, such as the head of the state audit agency and prosecutors linked to scandals involving Yoon’s wife, Kim Keon-hee.

Yoon’s presidency has been marred by scandals, particularly those involving his wife, who faces allegations of corruption and influence peddling. These scandals have eroded public trust and contributed to Yoon’s plummeting approval ratings, which hit a record low of 17 per cent in November 2024. The opposition’s demands for an investigation into these scandals might have pushed Yoon to take the extreme step of attempting to impose martial law. But it spectacularly backfired.
Even within his own party, Yoon’s declaration of martial law lacked broad support. Key figures, including Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, reportedly opposed the move. The swift rejection of martial law by the National Assembly and the public backlash clearly illustrate Yoon’s political miscalculation and desperation.
His action has also set alarm bells ringing among South Korea’s allies, particularly the US and Japan. The political turmoil has weakened South Korea’s position in international diplomacy and raised questions about its commitment to democratic principles. Moreover, Yoon, seen as a solid partner in pushing back against China, Russia and North Korea, could be on the verge of losing his job if the constitutional court upholds his impeachment. The political imbroglio is also likely to harm South Korea’s standing in global diplomacy and regional security.
What is more, the crisis has shaken things up socially and economically. Consumer confidence took a dive, hitting its lowest point since 2022, with the composite consumer sentiment index falling to 88.4 in December. Financial markets took a hit, with the South Korean won dropping to a 15-year low against the US dollar, and stock market volatility eroding investors’ confidence. Experts maintain that the uncertainty around Yoon’s impeachment and the possibility of more political chaos might lead to an economic slump.
Indeed, South Korea is facing its worst political crisis in decades. The Yoon episode underscores the fragility of its democratic institutions and the dangers of authoritarian overreach in a polarised political landscape.
Yvonne Gill is a freelance journalist based in London