South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol Lifts Military Emergency

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol. (Wikimedia Commons/KOCIS/Jeon Han)

JAKARTA - President Yoon Suk Yeol lifted martial law on Wednesday, six hours after he announced it, responding to the National Assembly's unanimous resolution to lift the law.

He announced the decision at around 4:20 a.m., about three and a half hours after the Assembly passed the motion.

"Last night, I declared martial law with a strong determination to save the nation in response to anti-state forces seeking to cripple the country's important functions and undermine the constitutional order of liberal democracy," President Yoon said.

"However, following a request by the National Assembly to lift the military emergency some time ago, I have withdrawn the military forces deployed for military emergency operations," he continued.

However, the President urged the Assembly "to immediately stop reckless actions such as repeated impeachment, legislative manipulation, and budget disruptions that cripple state functions."

He referred to the repetitive movement of the opposition-led Assembly to impeach top government officials, pushing for budget cuts for "essential state functions", which he called "anti-state forces" when he declared martial law.

About 30 minutes after President Yoon's speech, a Cabinet meeting was held and approved the lifting of martial law, a procedure to lift martial law by relevant law.

Earlier, President Yoon on Tuesday evening shocked Ginseng Country by announcing martial law, citing the need to "exterminate anti-state forces" as justification for imposing martial law.

Following the announcement, lawmakers from the ruling party and opposition held an emergency plenary session at the Assembly in the early hours of Wednesday, unanimously passing a motion demanding the revocation of martial law, with all 190 members present voting in favor.