South Korea’s Brief Martial Law Crisis

On December 3, 2024, President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, Article 77 of the South Korean Constitution saying it was needed because of threats from opposition parties and North Korea. This led to protests.

Yoon accused the opposition of harming democracy and facing a budget crisis, which pushed him to take this action.

Martial law means the military controls civilian life and limits people's rights. The last time this happened in South Korea was in 1980.

Yoon canceled the martial law after six hours due to public outcry. There are now calls for his impeachment as political tensions remain high.