The South Korean government, following an emergency meeting, has lifted the state of emergency declared by the president during a tense political crisis, when troops surrounded the parliament and lawmakers voted to reject military rule.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol declared the state of emergency earlier on Tuesday. He accused the country's opposition of controlling parliament, sympathizing with North Korea, and engaging in paralyzing anti-state activities. Yoon made this announcement during a live broadcast on YTN, describing his move as "critical" for protecting the country's constitutional order.
"To protect liberal South Korea from threats posed by the communist forces of North Korea and to eliminate anti-state elements... I declare a state of emergency," Yoon said.
Following this, thousands of people gathered outside the parliament building in Seoul, and the South Korean parliament voted to immediately revoke the state of emergency declared by the president.
According to South Korean law, a state of emergency can be revoked by a majority vote in parliament. The majority belongs to the opposition Democratic Party.
"The state of emergency is no longer in effect. Citizens can remain calm," said National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik.
In an emergency statement published on his YouTube channel, the speaker called for all lawmakers to convene immediately in the National Assembly and urged military and law enforcement personnel to "maintain calm and take their positions."
The president's conservative party, People Power Party, also condemned the decision, labeling it "unconstitutional" and "illegal."
The opposition has promised to initiate impeachment proceedings against the president.
Police blocked access to the National Assembly, while soldiers in helmets with rifles stood in front of the main building of the National Assembly to restrict entry.
An Associated Press photographer reported seeing at least three helicopters, likely military, landing on the Assembly grounds, while two or three helicopters circled the area.
Yoon, whose approval ratings have fallen in recent months, has faced challenges in advancing his agenda in a parliament controlled by the opposition since taking office in 2022.
Yoon's conservative People Power Party has reached an impasse with the liberal opposition Democratic Party over next year's budget bill. He has also rejected calls for independent investigations into scandals involving his wife and senior officials, which has drawn sharp criticism from his political opponents.
Since taking office in 2022, the South Korean leader has had to contend with a parliament controlled by the opposition.
According to South Korean news agency Yonhap, the decision was made after the opposition Democratic Party hastily pushed through a budget-cutting bill and filed motions for the impeachment of the state auditor and the attorney general.