Published on 03_12_2024 a las 22:42
(Updated on 4th December 12:00 pm)
The Cabinet of the President of South Korea (ROK) has just approved a motion to end martial law enforcement, Yonhap News Agency reported.
Article 77, Paragraph 5 of ROK’s Constitution states, “When the National Assembly requests the lifting of martial law with the consent of a majority of the members present (150 out of 300), the President shall lift it.”
Army troops mobilized to execute martial law, have now returned to base in a move that restored a sense of normalcy, Joint Chiefs of Staff assured.
President Yoon Suk Yeol had declared the martial law about six hours before the Cabinet passed the motion to end it. He pointed as the reason for his move that the nation’s opposition was “paralyzing” the government with “anti-state” activities.
The opposition Democratic Party had pushed for a reduced budget bill in the Parliamentary Budget Committee. The Democratic party had also submitted respective impeachment motions against both a state auditor and the Chief Prosecutor just before the martial law was declared.
Article 77.1 of ROK’s Constitutonal Law just allows the President to declare the martial law “when it is required to cope with a military necessity or to maintain the public safety and order by mobilization of the military forces in time of war, armed conflict or similar national emergency, the President may proclaim martial law under the conditions as prescribed by law.”
“At 11 p.m. last night (Seoul hour), I declared emergency martial law with my resolute intent to save the nation in the face of anti-state forces that attempt to paralyze the nation’s essential function and the constitutional order of free democracy,” Yoon said.
“But there was a demand from the National Assembly for the lifting of martial law, I have withdrawn troops mobilized to execute martial law affairs,” he added.
The National Assembly approved the lifting of martial law by 190 votes in favor.
The vote was unanimous among the parliamentarians who managed to enter the Parliament’s chamber.
The President of ROK reiterated his call to the National Assembly in order to stop “outrageous” activities that paralyze national functions, including impeachment attempts against government officials, he underscored.
That issued by Yoon has been the first martial law declaration in the ROK (Republic of Korea) in more than 40 years. This move has triggered concerns inside and outside the Asian country.
US Government, concerned but US-ROK alliance officially keeps iron clad
“We are watching all the recent developments in thr ROK with great concern. We are seeking to engage with our Korean counterparts both in the country and here in the States. The Secretary of State has been briefed and is being upraised on the latest developments…Let me just mention that our alliance with South Korea is iron clad and we are fully commited to that”, underscored ann official spokes person from the US Department of State after Yoon had declared the martial law in the Asian country.
The same official ticked the situation as foolish and epressed the US Government’s hope that the dispute would be solved peacefully.
“We were not notified of President Yoon’s announcement in advance” he added.
After Yoon’s announcement on the lift of the martial law US DepArtment of State issued the following declaration: ” We welcome President Yoon’s statement that he would rescind the order declaring emergency martial law in accordance with the ROK Constitution, after the National Assembly’s unanimous vote to reject the declaration. We continue to expect political disagreements to be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law. We reaffirm our support for the people of Korea and the U.S.-ROK alliance based on shared principles of democracy and the rule of law.”
The European Union and NATO also value the lift of the martial law declaration by President Yoon after the National Assembly passed the motion to invalidate it.
This crisis in South Korea comes surrounded by complicated landscape for the ROK both in the economic and the political fields.
First, Donald Trump will soon take office as the next President of the USA. He has already anticipated his intention to rise import duties to favor products manufactured inside the country. The increase of import duties in the USA would affect Korean exports to the United States, the 2nd main recipient of South Korean exports.
And second, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is sending troops to fight for Russia’s interest in Ukraine. Who knows if this fact may well result in an alliance between Russia and North Korea in other regions for example the Korean Peninsula.
Yoon loses citizens’ and even conservative party’s support
ROK citizens gathered in the streets around ROK’s Parliament showing their refusal to Yoon’s martial law declaration and protesting against the closure of the National Assembly with the order to cease all political activity.
People Power Party’s leader, Han Dong-hoon, called the decision to impose martial law “wrong” and vowed to “stop it.
In a YouTube livestream after the President’s declaration late Tuesday night (Seoul hour), the leader of the South Korean Democratic Party (main opposition party),Lee Jae-myung, called on the South Korean people to gather around the National Assembly to defend the nation together, as the army could be mobilized to apprehend lawmakers attempting to enter the Parliament in order to lift the martial law decree.
Lee said there was no reason for the martial law declaration and that the military should not be allowed to rule the country.
Not supported even by his own conservative party and with three years remaining in his five-year term ending in May 2027, how long will Yoon Suk Yeol be able to hold the Presidency of ROK?.
Opposition parties filled impeachment motion to cease President Yoon
Following the information published by Yonhap, the main opposition Democratic Party and five other minor opposition parties, including the Rebuilding Korea Party and Reform Party, submitted an impeachment motion against President Yoon to the bills office at the National Assembly at 2:43 p.m. on Wedenesday (Seoul hour).
The plan is reporting the motion to a parliamentary plenary session on Thursday and to put it up for a vote on Friday or Saturday.
An impeachment motion requires a majority of two-thirds of the Chamber to succeed. The motion has been signed by 190 opposition lawmakers and one independent member of the Parliament, with no support from any ruling party PPP members of the National Assembly.
With 300 parliamentary members and despite the majority held by the opposition parties in the Chamber the impeachment motion submitters need for 8 votes more from the ruling People Power Party to pass the bill.
Various media outlets and X users are publishing images showing how citizens are gathering in the surroundings of the Presidential Palace to demand the resignation of President Yoon.
The resignation earlier today of ROK’s Minister of National Deffense, Kim Yong Hyun, who said that the declaration of martial law had been his idea, does not seem to be enough for the opposition and the citizens to end the political crisis opened by the attempt to restrict their civil and political liberties just by a President more interested in deffending his political position than in paying respect to democracy and civil rights.
What if the impeachment is approved by the National Assembly?
Once an impeachment motion against ROK’s President is approved by at least the two thirds of the members of the National Assembly the President is suspended till the an impeachment trial takes placebefore the Constitutional Court. The Prime Minister assumes the Presidential powers in acting capacity.
The Constitutional Court hears oral arguments from the Chair of Parliament’s Justice Committee and from the public official or his/her legal counsel.
The Court has up to six months to confirm or deny the impeachment. The vote of six out of the nine judges is needed to confirm the impeachment.
Once the impeachment is confirmed by The Constitutional Court a new Presidential election must be held within six months. The same applies in case the President of ROK resigns.
The Constitutional Court has currently three vacant seats waiting to be filled with just six seats covered. This fact could cause some troubles for the Court to vote on Yoon’s impeachment if passed at The National Assembly.
ROK’s law allows the ceasing the President of the Republic just through impeachment by the National Assembly and just in the following cases: If the President is believed to “have violated the Constitution or any law in the performance of official duties.”
Doing their best to minimize economic dammage
In order to minimize any dammage triggerred by the declaration of martial law ROK’s Minister of Economy and Finance (MOE) and Deputy Prime Minister, Choi Sang-mok, announced an emergency meeting on macroeconomic and financial issues.
The meeting, held at 11:40 pm (Seoul hour) on 3rd December, was attended by the Governor of the Bank of Korea, the Chairman of the Financial Services Commission, and the Governor of the Financial Supervisory Service. During the meeting, DPM Choi announced that all available measures for stabilizing the financial and foreign exchange markets, including unlimited liquidity support, would be mobilized to address potential market instability following the declaration of martial law.
The participants underscored their commitments to making every possible efforts to ensure the stability of the national economy under any circumstances.
It was announced as well that an F4 Meeting will be held daily to establish a constant risk management system. Additional market stabilization measures will be promptly announced by each institution after review, starting from 4th December in the morning.
After the first meeting Choi emphasized that the economic team will do its utmost to address current economic issues to ensure that the country’s economy, corporate activities, and people’s daily lives remain unaffected under any circumstances.
He also expressed his commitment to alleviating concerns about the state of the Korean economy; the government will maintain close communication with international credit rating agencies, U.S. economic authorities, domestic economic organizations, and financial markets, as well as swiftly sharing progress of the situation, Choi said. He announced as well the operation of a 24-hour task force (led by First Vice Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance) to monitor real-time economic and financial conditions and prevent any disruptions to exports.
In addition, Deputy Prime Minister Choi underscored the critical need for a concerted effort among all economic stakeholders ( citizens, businesses, and the government) for the stable functioning of the economy, now more than ever. He requested all stakeholders to continue their daily business and corporate activities in their respective areas to keep investment, employment, and consumption can be maintained at normal levels.
After the second F4 meeting held at 7:00 this morning (Seoul hour) ROK’s Ministry of Economy and Finance informed that the lifting of the martial law had caused the foreign exchange (FX) market and overseas-listed Korean stock prices gradually regaining stability.
The government therefore decided to normally operate all financial and FX markets, including the stock market.
All participants at this 2nd F4 meeting agreed to provide unlimited liquidity until the stock, bond, short-term funding, and foreign currency markets are fully normalized.
In addition, they emphasized their commitment to operating a pan-governmental real-time monitoring system to closely observe financial market conditions, while promptly implementing necessary measures to stabilize the markets when needed.
Image over the headline.- Yoon Suk Yeol taking the presidential oath of office outside the National Assembly on 10th May 2022. Image by DEMA (Defense Media Agency) Official Photographer: Yang Dong Wook through Wikimedia Commons. To watch the original image and read the terms of the lisense click here
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More live images of the current political crisis in the Republic of Korea visit Yonhap channel on You Tube (clic here)
