South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol
On the night of 3 December, South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law. However, facing strong opposition, he was forced to lift it just six hours later.
Immediately after his declaration, the martial law commander announced a ban on all political activities, strikes, rallies, and protests. Yoon soon deployed heavily armed soldiers into the National Assembly grounds to block lawmakers from gathering. Martial law forces broke windows to enter the National Assembly building, aiming to prevent the vote to lift martial law.
However, as soon as martial law was declared, people gathered in front of the National Assembly. Despite it being early morning, around 4,000 people quickly assembled at the gates, demanding the repeal of martial law, protesting to soldiers, and blocking armored vehicles. The image of armored vehicles immobilised and surrounded by crowds symbolised the massive public backlash against Yoon’s declaration.
The KCTU trade union federation also announced an indefinite general strike starting the morning of 4 December, stating it would continue “until Yoon Suk-yeol steps down”.
As the backlash grew, even voices from the ruling party and the conservative media began opposing martial law, showing that Yoon failed to secure support even from his own camp.
Eventually, just two and a half hours after martial law was declared, the National Assembly voted to revoke martial law, and Yoon lifted it by dawn.
Yoon’s declaration of martial law was an anti-democratic outrage. He claimed the need to eradicate “pro-North Korea, anti-state forces” and to stop “dictatorship of parliament” against the government as his justification for the martial law. He was trying to advance the threat of North Korea as a pretext to suppress political opponents.
In the run-up to the martial law declaration, Yoon was in severe political crisis. His approval ratings had plummeted, and public sentiment against him was spreading. Weekly anti-Yoon rallies have mobilised 100,000 participants in downtown Seoul for five consecutive weeks.
Faced with such crisis, Yoon attempted to attack democracy by mobilising the military. He sought to suppress political opponents, undermine democratic rights, and intimidate the public through martial law.
Yoon will not abandon his reactionary attempts. He can strike back. As long as he remains in power, there can be no sense of security. He must be removed immediately. Therefore, this is only the first step of the struggle.
It is time for everyone to rise up and demand Yoon Suk Yeol’s resignation. Let us all take to the streets. The KCTU must proceed with the planned general strike.
4 December, 2024, Workers’ Solidarity. Workers’ Solidarity is Socialist Worker’s sister organisation.
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