South Korea lifts emergency martial law order after fierce opposition

Move follows protesters and parliament rejecting rare order issued by Yoon Suk Yeol over internal politics

Soldiers try to enter the main hall of the National Assembly on Tuesday, after South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol had declared martial law. AFP

An emergency martial law order issued by South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol was rescinded on Wednesday after protesters gathered outside the parliamentary building and politicians voted to block his action.

Hours earlier on Tuesday evening, in a live televised address to the nation, Mr Yoon said he was declaring martial law to protect "a liberal South Korea from the threats posed by North Korea's communist forces and to eliminate anti-state elements". Mr Yoon did not mention any specific threat from the nuclear-armed North, focusing instead on his domestic political opponents.

The surprise decision took place amid internal parliamentary wrangling over a budget bill, which may spell his political demise as Mr Yoon's opponents announce plans to try to impeach him.

The Speaker of South Korea's Parliament declared the martial law announcement invalid and politicians voted to reject it early on Wednesday. Soon after the vote, police retreated from the crowds outside the parliamentary building.

Mr Yoon later announced that command troops enforcing martial law were withdrawing. His government cabinet approved the move to rescind Mr Yoon's order, effectively ending martial law in the pre-dawn hours of Wednesday.

It was the first time since 1980 that martial law has been declared in South Korea. “With no regard for the livelihoods of the people, the opposition party has paralysed governance solely for the sake of impeachments, special investigations and shielding their leader from justice,” Mr Yoon said.

The US White House said it was in contact with the South Korean government and is “monitoring the situation closely”.

US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said Washington is watching developments with "great concern" and had not been notified in advance. "We are seeking to engage with our Republic of Korea counterparts at every level, both here in the United States and in Seoul," Mr Patel told reporters.

Pentagon press secretary Maj Gen Pat Ryder said there had been no immediate impact on US forces in South Korea, where about 25,000 American troops are stationed.

"We're going to continue to monitor the situation. Our commitment to the alliance and the defence of the Republic of Korea is ironclad," he told reporters.

Earlier, live TV footage showed helmeted troops with the apparent task of imposing martial law trying to enter the National Assembly building. Parliamentary aides tried to push the soldiers back by spraying fire extinguishers.

Shortly after Mr Yoon made his announcement, people began gathering outside the parliament building, some of them shouting: “Withdraw emergency martial law.” “Arrest Yoon Suk Yeol,” shouted others.

The surprise move came as Mr Yoon's People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party continue to dispute next year's budget bill. Opposition MPs last week approved a significantly downsized budget plan through a parliamentary committee.

“Our National Assembly has become a haven for criminals, a den of legislative dictatorship that seeks to paralyse the judicial and administrative systems, and overturn our liberal democratic order,” Mr Yoon said.

He accused opposition politicians of cutting “all key budgets essential to the nation's core functions, such as combating drug crimes and maintaining public security … turning the country into a drug haven and a state of public safety chaos”.

Mr Yoon went on to call the opposition, which holds a majority in the 300-member parliament, “anti-state forces intent on overthrowing the regime”, and said his decision was inevitable.

“I will restore the country to normality by getting rid of anti-state forces as soon as possible,” he said.

South Korea had a series of authoritarian leaders early in its history but has been considered democratic since the 1980s.

– With agencies.