Checkmate

A day after attempting to take over the country, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was under pressure to resign or face impeachment proceedings, as protesters continued to march on the streets of Seoul and other cities demanding he quit, NPR reported.

On Wednesday, the opposition Democratic Party, which controls parliament, began impeachment proceedings against Yoon, who a day earlier declared martial law in an attempt to halt the legislature, control the judiciary, restrict political activities, place the press under the military, and curtail civil liberties.

He reversed it six hours later when the National Assembly voted it down – despite an attempt by soldiers to bar lawmakers from entering the building, the BBC reported.

Now, the impeachment motion, which accuses Yoon of violating democratic principles, has received support from six opposition parties and is likely to be voted on by Friday.

Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun is also facing impeachment. On Thursday, Yoon accepted Yong-hyuns’s resignation, offered the day before after apologizing for Tuesday’s events. He took responsibility for his role in the declaration of martial law, the BBC added. Meanwhile, other senior members of the government have offered to resign or already have, such as Yoon’s chief of staff.

South Korean police are to investigate Yoon for “insurrection,” the BBC reported Thursday, with the Army chief Pak An-su also offering to resign for his role in the debacle.

On Wednesday, meanwhile, the country was still reeling in shock over the events of the previous 24 hours, and wondering why the president would make such a miscalculation.

Yoon had declared martial law during a surprise televised address, accusing the opposition-controlled National Assembly of “paralyzing” the country and engaging in “anti-state and pro-North (Korean) activities” that he claimed threatened the country’s constitutional order.

Around 300 soldiers, supported by military helicopters, were deployed to block lawmakers from entering the legislature. Even so, 190 legislators – including 18 from Yoon’s conservative People Power Party – voted unanimously to overturn the decree.

Meanwhile, the declaration of martial law sparked public fury and drew thousands of protesters to the National Assembly. Demonstrators blocked soldiers from entering the parliamentary chamber, while civic groups and unions organized rallies nationwide calling for Yoon’s resignation.

The declaration, which triggered memories of the country’s turbulent past, marked the first use of martial law in South Korea since the 1980s when the country was under a military dictatorship.

Political analysts said it was unlikely Yoon would survive politically – his approval ratings before Tuesday were well below 20 percent. Meanwhile, there is speculation now over whether he will resign or face drawn-out impeachment proceedings.

Internationally, the president’s actions drew sharp criticism and disrupted key diplomatic engagements.

The United States postponed consultative nuclear meetings and joint military exercises, expressing “serious concern” over the crisis. Sweden and Japan also canceled scheduled diplomatic visits.

Observers noted that the turmoil undermines Yoon’s efforts to strengthen trilateral ties between Seoul, Washington, and Tokyo to counter North Korea, Reuters wrote. At the same time, there is concern that North Korea could use the political crisis to further its aims.

Yoon, a political newcomer elected in 2022, has struggled with a deeply polarized parliament and scandals involving his administration and his wife.

Some analysts described the episode as a failed attempt to consolidate power, while critics accused the conservative leader of trying to revive South Korea’s authoritarian past. Regardless, analysts said he badly miscalculated.

“He attempted an extreme move that profoundly misread Korean political culture,” Darcie Draudt-Véjares of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, told the Washington Post. “The Assembly’s swift rejection, including from his own party members, has crippled his authority as leader for the vibrant democracy.”