South Korea’s Cabinet on Wednesday backed a motion passed by lawmakers to lift martial law in the country.
A Cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo passed the resolution after President Yoon Suk Yeol backtracked from his decision to impose martial law, which had been rejected by most lawmakers.
With the decision, martial law was effectively lifted from the country, according to a procedure laid down in the Constitution.
“Martial law will be lifted immediately by accepting the National Assembly’s (Parliament) request through a State Council (Cabinet) meeting,” Yoon said in a second national address within hours of declaring martial law to “save the country against anti-state forces.”
Yoon had imposed martial law effective late Tuesday for the first time in 45 years. But 190 lawmakers in the 300-seat parliament voted down his move, making it obligatory on him to comply with their motion.
Following the declaration of martial law, all political activities were prohibited, including that of parliament, local councils, political parties and political associations as well as rallies and demonstrations.
People rose in celebration after Yoon said he will comply with the parliament’s decision.
Yoon also said that troops had withdrawn from parliament.
“I request the National Assembly to immediately stop the reckless acts of paralyzing the functions of the state through repeated impeachments, legislative manipulation and budget manipulation,” he said, addressing the opposition lawmakers who have rendered his administration toothless.
Natalia Slavney, a research analyst at the US-based Stimson Center, said Yoon had previously vowed to fight corruption and improve transparency.
“But his presidency has been marred by abuses of power. Imposing martial law is a serious backslide of democracy” in South Korea,” she said on X.
Opposition calls on Yoon to resign
The opposition Democratic Party called on Yoon to voluntarily resign from office.
“Even if martial law is lifted, it is impossible to avoid the charge of sedition. It has been clearly revealed to the entire nation that President Yoon can no longer run the country normally. He must step down,” the party said in a statement.
If Yoon does not step down, the opposition party said it will pursue impeachment proceedings against him.
For any move to impeach Yoon, whose term ends in 2027, most lawmakers would need to approve such a motion to be proposed to the parliament.
Two-thirds of the 300 lawmakers would later need to vote in favor of impeaching him.
Yoon was elected in March 2022, and some lawmakers from his People Power Party had joined the opposition Democratic Party to vote down his move to impose martial law.
