The lifting of the controversial martial decree in South Korea may have prevented the country from falling into chaos, but the political turmoil over the now-rescinded order by President Yoon Suk Yeol shows no signs of abating immediately.
Late on Tuesday, Yoon Suk Yeol imposed the martial law in a bid to “eliminate anti-state forces”. The move came after he found it difficult to push his and the ruling party's agenda in the opposition-dominated parliament. The military and armed police officers surrounded the parliament soon after the order was passed. Helicopters were also employed as protesters gathered outside the parliament.
However, the martial law prevailed for only a few hours as the National Assembly voted against it, following which Yoon Suk Yeol formally lifted it around 4:30am during a Cabinet meeting. Security forces left the ground of the National Assembly soon after the vote.
While announcing his plan to lift martial law, Yoon Suk Yeol, who has accused the opposition of sympathising with North Korea, slammed parliament's attempts to impeach key government officials and senior prosecutors. He also accused the lawmakers of “unscrupulous acts of legislative and budgetary manipulation”.
Hours after the martial law was lifted, the liberal opposition Democratic Party, which holds a majority in the 300-seat parliament, urged Yoon Suk Yeol to resign immediately or face impeachment. “President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration was a clear violation of the constitution. It didn't abide by any requirements to declare it," the Democratic Party said in a statement. “His martial law declaration was originally invalid and a grave violation of the constitution. It was a grave act of rebellion and provides perfect grounds for his impeachment.”
According to South Korean media, Yoon Suk Yeol's chief of staff, advisers and senior secretaries have offered to resign.
Can South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol be impeached?
Impeaching Yoon Suk Yeol would seem difficult if one looks at the numbers. It would need the support from two-thirds of the parliament or 200 of the 300 lawmakers.
The opposition parties, including the Democratic Party, together have 192 seats.
However, the opposition seems to have been emboldened by the fact that when the National Assembly voted 190-0 for the rejection of the martial law, around 10 members of his ruling People Power Party voted in favour of the rejection, according to AP.
In fact, ruling People Power Party leader Han Dong-hun asked Yoon to explain his decision to impose martial law, and urged him to fire Defence Minister Kim Yong Hyun, who, he said, recommended the martial law.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo would take over the presidential duties if Yoon Suk Yeol is impeached. The latter will also be stripped of his constitutional powers until the Constitutional Court decides his fate.
US welcomes Yoon Suk Yeol's decision to revoke martial decree
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's decision to lift the martial law in the country.
"We continue to expect political disagreements to be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law," Blinken said in a statement.