South Korea's President Faces Impeachment Threat After Martial Law Reversal

President Yoon Suk Yeol lifted martial law hours after declaring it, as opposition lawmakers decried the move as unconstitutional and initiated impeachment efforts.

President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law late Tuesday, citing threats from 'anti-state forces,' but lifted it within six hours following a parliamentary vote to overturn the decree.
The National Assembly voted 190-0 to reject the martial law declaration, with some members of Yoon's own People Power Party joining the opposition in the vote.
The Democratic Party, which holds a parliamentary majority, called Yoon's actions a 'grave violation of the constitution' and announced plans to pursue his impeachment if he does not resign.
The martial law declaration marked the first such move in South Korea since the 1980s, prompting military deployment around the National Assembly and public protests outside the compound.
International observers, including the U.S., expressed concern over the democratic backsliding, while Yoon's approval ratings have hit historic lows amid ongoing political scandals.