Monash University

South Korea was plunged into political chaos overnight when President Yoon Suk Yeol shocked the country by imposing martial law before agreeing to lift it six hours later. The move resulted in soldiers on the streets, protests and a dramatic late night vote in parliament to overturn the declaration.

Gil-Soo Han, Professor Communications & Media Studies, Monash University, says:

“This is not a surprise. The President has been in conflict with parliament for months – using his veto to stop bills, and he has struggled to get his own bills through.

“He has finally been pushed into a corner over the corruption allegations involving him and his wife.

“But he will not resign willingly. And although there are enough reasons to impeach him, it will be difficult because the opposition is eight seats short of the 200 required to win a motion in parliament.”

Andrew David Jackson, Associate Professor, Korean Studies and Director, Monash University Korean Studies Research Hub (MUKSRH) said:

“This is a worrying flashback to the bad old days of the 30-year-long military dictatorship in South Korea.

“Yoon’s justification for introducing martial law is very similar to General Chun Doo Hwan’s justification for extending martial law in May 1980, which led to a further seven years of authoritarian rule.

“These historical parallels will not go down well with a lot of South Koreans – whether they are progressive or conservative.”