Martial Law in South Korea: What Happened and What’s Next?

South Korea’s president, Yoon Suk Yeol, stunned the nation on Tuesday night by abruptly declaring martial law—marking the first such move in nearly 50 years in Asian democracy.

In a late-night televised address, Yoon defended his dramatic decision by citing threats from "anti-state forces" and North Korea. However, he offered no explanation of what that entailed and provided no concrete evidence.

The announcement sparked swift backlash. Thousands of citizens gathered outside the parliament in protest, while opposition lawmakers convened an emergency session to overturn the measure.

Just hours later, Yoon conceded defeat, accepting parliament's vote to revoke martial law. Now, he faces the looming threat of impeachment and potential expulsion from his own party.

Martial law, which temporarily places military authorities in control during emergencies when civil governance is deemed ineffective, was last imposed in South Korea in 1979 following the assassination of military dictator Park Chung-hee during a coup.

It has not been invoked since the nation transitioned to a parliamentary democracy in 1987.