South Korea’s 2024 Political Crisis

The recent political turmoil in South Korea was ignited by President Yoon Suk Yeol’s controversial declaration of martial law on December 3, 2024. Yoon argued that the martial law was crucial for protecting the nation from what he described as “anti-state forces.” However, his decision quickly backfired, sparking widespread protests and ultimately leading to his impeachment by parliament two weeks later.

Here’s a timeline of the critical events that have shaped this ongoing political crisis:

• December 3, 2024: President Yoon announces the imposition of martial law, which is met with significant opposition from the National Assembly. In a dramatic move, 190 MPs vote against the measure, many of whom had to scale fences and break through barricades to reach the voting chamber.
• Hours later: Faced with intense resistance, Yoon retracts his martial law order.
• December 14, 2024: Following the fallout from his martial law declaration, the National Assembly impeaches President Yoon. In his place, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo assumes the role of acting president.
• December 27, 2024: The political crisis deepens as the National Assembly impeaches Acting President Han Duck-soo for blocking the appointment of three judges to the Constitutional Court. These judges were crucial to overseeing Yoon’s impeachment trial. The opposition argues that Han’s actions were designed to obstruct the impeachment process. As a result, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok is appointed as the new acting president.

South Korea has impeached acting president Han Duck-soo, two weeks after the impeachment of President Yoon. pic.twitter.com/zLLseztxG7

— Pop Base (@PopBase) December 27, 2024

The impeachment of both President Yoon and Acting President Han underscores the profound political polarization within South Korea. The opposition Democratic Party has accused Yoon and his supporters of attempting a coup, while Yoon’s People Power Party insists that his actions were necessary to safeguard the nation’s security. The political instability has taken a toll on the South Korean economy, with the Korean won plummeting to a 16-year low against the U.S. dollar, signaling broader concerns over the nation’s political future.