Anthony Kuhn

But lawmakers in parliament unanimously voted to demand Yoon to cancel martial law, which he then did, as he's required to do by the Constitution. Yoon's top aides have offered to resign en masse, so has his defense secretary. And opposition lawmakers plan to put the impeachment motion to a vote in parliament as early as Friday or Saturday. So very fast moving.

But lawmakers in parliament unanimously voted to demand Yoon to cancel martial law, which he then did, as he's required to do by the Constitution. Yoon's top aides have offered to resign en masse, so has his defense secretary. And opposition lawmakers plan to put the impeachment motion to a vote in parliament as early as Friday or Saturday. So very fast moving.

But lawmakers in parliament unanimously voted to demand Yoon to cancel martial law, which he then did, as he's required to do by the Constitution. Yoon's top aides have offered to resign en masse, so has his defense secretary. And opposition lawmakers plan to put the impeachment motion to a vote in parliament as early as Friday or Saturday. So very fast moving.

So what was President Yoon trying to accomplish with all this? Well, Yoon was elected president by a razor-thin margin in 2022. And since then, he's struggled to get his policies and his budgets through parliament. Opposition politicians have impeached his appointees. They've hounded his wife over several scandals. But does that justify martial law?

So what was President Yoon trying to accomplish with all this? Well, Yoon was elected president by a razor-thin margin in 2022. And since then, he's struggled to get his policies and his budgets through parliament. Opposition politicians have impeached his appointees. They've hounded his wife over several scandals. But does that justify martial law?

So what was President Yoon trying to accomplish with all this? Well, Yoon was elected president by a razor-thin margin in 2022. And since then, he's struggled to get his policies and his budgets through parliament. Opposition politicians have impeached his appointees. They've hounded his wife over several scandals. But does that justify martial law?

Well, I talked about this with Benjamin Engel, who's a political scientist and a visiting professor at Dangok University just outside Seoul. And here's how he says he talked about it with his colleagues.

Well, I talked about this with Benjamin Engel, who's a political scientist and a visiting professor at Dangok University just outside Seoul. And here's how he says he talked about it with his colleagues.

Well, I talked about this with Benjamin Engel, who's a political scientist and a visiting professor at Dangok University just outside Seoul. And here's how he says he talked about it with his colleagues.

So a self-coup basically means that Yoon was democratically elected president, but in order to hang on to and increase his power, he tried to roll back civil liberties.

So a self-coup basically means that Yoon was democratically elected president, but in order to hang on to and increase his power, he tried to roll back civil liberties.

So a self-coup basically means that Yoon was democratically elected president, but in order to hang on to and increase his power, he tried to roll back civil liberties.

Well, the Declaration of Martial Law said that Parliament was suspended, protests were banned, media was subject to censorship, and anyone who resisted could be arrested. But neither police nor military effectively enforced it, so... The attempt to impose martial law was basically defeated within a matter of hours.

Well, the Declaration of Martial Law said that Parliament was suspended, protests were banned, media was subject to censorship, and anyone who resisted could be arrested. But neither police nor military effectively enforced it, so... The attempt to impose martial law was basically defeated within a matter of hours.

Well, the Declaration of Martial Law said that Parliament was suspended, protests were banned, media was subject to censorship, and anyone who resisted could be arrested. But neither police nor military effectively enforced it, so... The attempt to impose martial law was basically defeated within a matter of hours.

And, you know, people here have just expressed such disbelief that such a thing could happen in South Korea in 2024 because martial law was declared several times before 1987 when South Korea was under military rule. Today, South Koreans are far more skeptical of any attempt to deprive them of their rights in the name of a communist threat. And they're not afraid to protest in the streets.

And, you know, people here have just expressed such disbelief that such a thing could happen in South Korea in 2024 because martial law was declared several times before 1987 when South Korea was under military rule. Today, South Koreans are far more skeptical of any attempt to deprive them of their rights in the name of a communist threat. And they're not afraid to protest in the streets.

And, you know, people here have just expressed such disbelief that such a thing could happen in South Korea in 2024 because martial law was declared several times before 1987 when South Korea was under military rule. Today, South Koreans are far more skeptical of any attempt to deprive them of their rights in the name of a communist threat. And they're not afraid to protest in the streets.

And demonstrations are planned or ongoing in Seoul and other cities.

And demonstrations are planned or ongoing in Seoul and other cities.