South Korean President to Lift Martial Law Following Parliament's Opposition

The President of South Korea announced that he will revoke his order for the implementation of martial law following a parliamentary vote against the state of emergency. The South Korean parliament rejected Yoon Suk-yeol's claim that political opponents of the government have made the country vulnerable to North Korea. Yoon delivered a speech at 4 AM local time on Wednesday, concluding a tense night that had begun with his previous announcement. According to the Wall Street Journal, parliament representatives entered the National Assembly in central Seoul by crossing barriers and armed guards and voted 190 to 0 early Wednesday morning to reject the government's action. The martial law was enacted more than two hours before the parliamentary vote, at 11 PM local time on Tuesday. This unexpected and unprecedented event occurred as Yoon's popularity had declined due to severe budget disputes with opponents and internal conflicts over political scandals within the ruling People Power Party. On Tuesday, Yoon accused opposition parties of 'taking the parliamentary process hostage' and threatening the constitutional order of the country. He urged lawmakers to stop activities that harm national affairs, such as impeachment trials and legal manipulations. The parliamentary vote in South Korea to revoke the martial law declared by the President has drawn attention from the United States, which stated it is following developments in South Korea with 'serious concern.'