On December 4, 2024, in Seoul, South Korea, soldiers marched through the crowd in front of the National Assembly after South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol declared martial law.
Kim Hongzhi | Reuters
South Korea’s National Assembly voted in Seoul on Wednesday morning to overturn President Yun Seok-yeol’s martial law order.
Within three hours of Yoon declaring martial law late Tuesday night, 190 of 300 members of Congress gathered to overturn the emergency martial law order. According to the country’s constitution, the president must comply with the National Assembly’s vote.
This is the first time in 44 years that South Korea has declared martial law.
Yoon’s martial law order shocked even members of his People’s Power party. On Tuesday night, party leader Han Dong-hoon and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon both expressed opposition to Mr Yoon’s declaration of martial law.
The National Assembly was cordoned off by soldiers and police.
President Yoon’s announcement roiled the Korean market. The South Korean won has fallen sharply against the US dollar, with the latest drop exceeding 1% to around 1,420 won.
“The administration is in contact with the South Korean government and is closely monitoring developments,” the White House National Security Council said in a statement to NBC News.
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