South Korea Democracy Rallies After Martial Law Attempt

Published: 23 February 2026 . The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

South Korea’s democracy faced one of its most dramatic tests in decades when former President Yoon Suk Yeol declared a brief period of martial law in December 2024, using emergency powers to deploy military forces and seize control of political institutions. What followed — an extraordinary civic and institutional backlash that ultimately ended the attempt within hours — has been hailed as a powerful example of democratic resilience in the face of executive overreach.

The crisis began late on 3 December 2024, when Yoon announced martial law on national television, falsely claiming that “anti-state forces” had undermined governance. His decree sought to ban political activity, censor media, and empower the military to restore “order,” citing opposition-led gridlock in the National Assembly as justification. But the response was swift and overwhelming.

Within hours, thousands of South Koreans braved cold weather to gather outside the National Assembly in Seoul, driven by deep concern that the move echoed past eras of authoritarian rule. Many protesters carried signs defending democratic norms, and citizens from across the political spectrum joined in — including individuals who said they had once supported Yoon but believed he had crossed a constitutional line.

At the same time, lawmakers rushed into the National Assembly chambers, with some breaching barricades to vote unanimously against the martial law decree. Despite military deployments and a tense standoff outside, the Assembly’s action effectively neutralised the president’s order. By the early hours of the next morning, Yoon backed down and lifted martial law, marking a humiliating reversal for the embattled leader.

The backlash didn’t end with the repeal. Public protest continued, and critics called for Yoon’s removal. Parliament impeached him, suspending his powers, and he was later removed from office by the Constitutional Court. In early 2026, Yoon was sentenced to life in prison by a Seoul court for leading an insurrection related to the failed martial law gambit — a verdict that sent shockwaves domestically and internationally.

Observers and scholars credit South Korea’s robust democratic defence to decades of civic activism, strong institutional safeguards, and a politically engaged society that refuses to take democratic freedoms for granted. Gi-Wook Shin, director of the Korea program at Stanford University, told the BBC that the episode “reminds us that democracy ultimately depends not only on formal rules but on citizens and institutions willing to defend them.”

Six months later, South Koreans further reaffirmed their commitment to democracy at the ballot box, decisively rejecting Yoon’s party in national elections. This chapter in South Korea’s political history has become a lesson for democracies worldwide — illustrating that even when democratic norms are challenged from within, strong institutions and popular mobilisation can prevail.

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