Republic of Korea - December 2024

On 3 December, President Yoon Suk-yeol declared emergency martial law in the country for the first time in 45 years. It remains unclear why martial law was imposed as South Korea’s constitution only permits its use during “wartime, war-like situations or other comparable national emergency states.” Yoon defended his action as a “legitimate act of governance” and accused opposition lawmakers of pro-North Korean anti-state activities. Political analysts, however, note that these claims appear baseless and his action was in response to the opposition-controlled parliament’s failure to pass his budgets. However, Yoon revoked the order hours later after lawmakers, amid mass protests, voted down the decree. On 14 December, the National Assembly voted to impeach Yoon, arguing he had acted unconstitutionally. This is the second time a president has faced impeachment proceedings in less than a decade. Yoon remains suspended until the Constitutional Court rules to either reinstate him or remove him from office permanently. Prime Minister Han Duck-Soo, who stepped in to serve as acting president, was also impeached on 27 December, accused of participating in Yoon’s martial law imposition. Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok is currently the acting president.

Sources: The Korea Herald, Human Rights Watch, BBC News, Al Jazeera, Chatam House

On 31 December, the Seoul Western District Court approved a request from the Corruption Investigation office for High-Ranking Officials to issue a warrant against President Yoon Suk-Yeol on charges of insurrection, treason and abuse of power after his failed martial law order on 3 December. The charges are separate from his impeachment proceedings and the warrant was issued after Yoon ignored three summonses to appear for questioning over his martial law declaration. Although past officeholders have been impeached, Yoon is the first sitting president to face an arrest.

Sources: International IDEA,  BBC News,  The Korea Times