South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has announced his decision to lift the martial law declaration that he had imposed just hours earlier. Lawmakers unanimously voted to lift the president’s martial law decree, with 190 out of 300 members present. Following this announcement, there were celebrations outside the General Assembly in South Korea.
President Yoon Suk Yeol stated that he would convene his cabinet for a meeting to formally lift the martial law, and troops had already been withdrawn from the National Assembly. The US and South Korean militaries are in contact, with no request for assistance from Seoul amid the ongoing events, according to the Pentagon.
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions has declared an indefinite general strike until Yoon Suk Yeol resigns. Meanwhile, the British government expressed deep concern over the situation in South Korea and urged a peaceful resolution.
Experts are closely watching North Korea’s reaction to the events in South Korea, and the US State Department expects the vote by lawmakers to invalidate the martial law to be honored. The Kremlin has called the martial law declaration concerning, and the White House stated that the US was not given advance notice of the decision.
Despite the parliament’s vote to lift martial law, South Korean military officials have stated that it will remain in effect until President Yoon Suk Yeol decides to lift it. Photos show martial law soldiers leaving the National Assembly as the situation develops rapidly. United Nations officials are closely monitoring the situation with concern.
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