Why did South Korea's president declare martial law - and what now?
Why South Korea has been gripped by political instability
(25 days later)
Lawmakers hold placards reading "Yoon Suk Yeol should resign" on 4 December
It was around 23:00 on a Tuesday night when - out of nowhere - South Korea's president Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law in the Asian democracy for the first time in nearly 50 years.
South Korea's president shocked the country on Tuesday night when, out of the blue, he declared martial law in the Asian democracy for the first time in nearly 50 years.
Explaining his decision, he mentioned "anti-state forces" and the threat from North Korea. But it soon became clear that it had not been spurred by external threats but by his own desperate political troubles.
Yoon Suk Yeol's drastic decision - announced in a late-night TV broadcast - mentioned "anti-state forces" and the threat from North Korea.
The law was voted down just hours later - but it set in motion a string of events that have led to a state of political chaos in South Korea.
But it soon became clear that it had not been spurred by external threats but by his own desperate political troubles.
Still, it prompted thousands of people to gather at parliament in protest, while opposition lawmakers rushed there to push through an emergency vote to remove the measure.
Defeated, Yoon emerged a few hours later to accept the parliament's vote and lift the martial law order.
Now, lawmakers will vote on whether to impeach him over what the country's main opposition has called his "insurrectionary behaviour".
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How two hours of martial law chaos unfolded
How two hours of martial law chaos unfolded
How did it all unfold?
Who is Yoon and why did he impose martial law?
Yoon has acted like a president under siege, observers say.
On 3 December, the country was stunned when Yoon said he was imposing martial law to protect the country from "anti-state" forces that sympathised with North Korea.
In his address on Tuesday night, he recounted the political opposition's attempts to undermine his government before saying he was declaring martial law to "crush anti-state forces that have been wreaking havoc".
South Korean politicians immediately called Yoon's declaration illegal and unconstitutional. The leader of his own party, the conservative People's Power Party, also called Yoon's act "the wrong move".
His decree temporarily put the military in charge - with helmeted troops and police deployed to the National Assembly parliament building where helicopters were seen landing on the roof.
Meanwhile, the leader of the country's largest opposition party, Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party (DP) called on his MPs to converge on parliament to vote down the declaration.
Local media also showed scenes of masked, gun-toting troops entering the building while staffers tried to hold them off with fire extinguishers.
Around 23:00 local time on Tuesday (14:00 GMT), the military issued a decree banning protests and activity by parliament and political groups, and putting the media under government control.
But South Korean politicians immediately called Yoon's declaration illegal and unconstitutional. The leader of his own party, the conservative People's Power Party, also called Yoon's act "the wrong move".
Meanwhile, the leader of the country's largest opposition party, Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party, called on his MPs to converge on parliament to vote down the declaration.
He also called on ordinary South Koreans to show up at parliament in protest.
He also called on ordinary South Koreans to show up at parliament in protest.
"Tanks, armoured personnel carriers and soldiers with guns and knives will rule the country... My fellow citizens, please come to the National Assembly.”
Thousands heeded the call, rushing to gather outside the now heavily guarded parliament. Protesters chanted "no martial law" and "strike down dictatorship".
Thousands heeded the call, rushing to gather outside the now heavily guarded parliament. Protesters chanted: "No martial law!" and "strike down dictatorship".
Local media broadcasting from the site showed some scuffles between protesters and police at the gates. But despite the military presence, tensions did not escalate into violence.
And lawmakers were also able to make their way around the barricades - even climbing fences to make it to the voting chamber.
And lawmakers were also able to make their way around the barricades - even climbing fences to make it to the voting chamber.
Shortly after 01:00 on Wednesday, South Korea's parliament, with 190 of its 300 members present, voted down the measure. President Yoon's declaration of martial law was ruled invalid.
Shortly after 01:00 on Wednesday, South Korea's parliament, with 190 of its 300 members present, voted down the measure. President Yoon's declaration of martial law was ruled invalid.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declaring martial law in a national address on Tuesday night
The last time martial law was declared in South Korea was in 1979, when the country's then long-term military dictator Park Chung-hee was assassinated during a coup.
How significant is martial law?
Martial law is temporary rule by military authorities in a time of emergency, when civil authorities are deemed unable to function.
The last time it was declared in South Korea was in 1979, when the country's then long-term military dictator Park Chung-hee was assassinated during a coup.
It has never been invoked since the country became a parliamentary democracy in 1987.
It has never been invoked since the country became a parliamentary democracy in 1987.
But on Tuesday, Yoon pulled that trigger, saying in a national address he was trying to save South Korea from "anti-state forces".
But why did he do it?
Yoon, who has taken a noticeably more hardline stance on North Korea than his predecessors, described the political opposition as North Korea sympathisers - without providing evidence.
Yoon was relegated to a lame duck president and reduced to vetoing bills passed by the opposition, a tactic that he used with "unprecedented frequency", said Celeste Arrington, director of The George Washington University Institute for Korean Studies.
Under martial law, extra powers are given to the military and there is often a suspension of civil rights for citizens and rule of law standards and protections.
Then on the week on 3 December, the opposition slashed the budget the government and ruling party had put forward.
Despite the military announcing restrictions on political activity and the media, protesters and politicians defied those orders. And there was no sign of the government seizing control of free media - Yonhap, the national broadcaster, and other outlets kept reporting as normal.
Around the same time, the opposition was moving to impeach cabinet members, mainly the head of the government audit agency, for failing to investigate the president's wife.
South Korea's parliament met shortly after Yoon's declaration to block the martial law measure
With political challenges pushing his back against the wall, Yoon went for the nuclear option - pressing the red button of martial law.
Why was Yoon feeling pressured?
What was the response?
Yoon was voted into office in May 2022 as a hardline conservative, but has been a lame duck president since April when the opposition won a landslide in the country's general election.
The response came quickly - tens of thousands of protesters called for Yoon to be impeached, with polls saying three-quarters of South Koreans wanted to see him go.
His government since then has not been able to pass the bills they wanted and have been reduced instead to vetoing bills passed by the liberal opposition.
Opposition lawmakers quickly filed a motion for him to be impeached - which went to parliament.
He has also seen a fall in approval ratings - hovering around lows of 17% - as he has been mired in several corruption scandals this year, including one involving the First Lady accepting a Dior bag, and another around alleged stock manipulation.
Opposition members make up 192 seats of Korea's 300 seat parliament - so they needed eight members of the ruling party to vote in favour of impeachment, in order to reach the 200 votes needed to pass the motion.
Just last month he was forced to issue an apology on national TV, saying he was setting up an office overseeing the First Lady's duties. But he rejected a wider investigation, which opposition parties had been calling for.
But members of Yoon's People Power Party (PPP) boycotted the vote - walking out of parliament in protest.
Then this week, the opposition proposed slashing a major government budget bill - which cannot be vetoed.
But the opposition was undeterred. They said they would keep filing motions for Yoon to be impeached until they succeeded.
At the same time, the opposition also moved to impeach cabinet members and several top prosecutors- including the head of the government's audit agency - for failing to investigate the First Lady.
And just a week after - on 14 December, they did.
Many citizens turned out outside parliament on Tuesday night to protest against the sudden martial law declaration. Mass protests are a frequent and common political event in the country.
Some of Yoon's own PPP voted with the opposition - giving them the 200 votes needed.
The leader of a key opposition party, the Democratic Party, addressing media after parliament voted down martial law on Wednesday morning
The country's Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, was named as the acting president - and took over Yoon's duties.
What now?
But now he too has been impeached - the first time an acting president has been impeached in South Korea since it became a democracy.
The opposition Democratic Party has moved to impeach Yoon.
Why did South Korea impeach its president - again?
Parliament will have to vote by Saturday on whether to do this.
At the heart of the issue is Yoon's impeachment.
The impeachment process is relatively straightforward in South Korea. To succeed, it would require support from more than two-thirds of the 300-member National Assembly - at least 200 votes.
Korea's Constitutional Court is typically made up of a nine-member bench. At least six judges must uphold Yoon's impeachment in order for the decision to be upheld.
Once an impeachment is approved, a trial is held before the Constitutional Court - a nine-member council that oversees South Korea's branches of government.
There are currently only six judges on the bench, meaning a single rejection would save Yoon from being removed.
If six of the court's members vote to sustain the impeachment, the president is removed from office.
The opposition had hoped to get three additional nominees on the bench, something that would help improve the odds of Yoon getting impeached.
But earlier this week, Han blocked the appointment of the three judges - leading the opposition to file an impeachment motion against him, saying that he was refusing demands to complete Yoon's impeachment process.
If this happens, it wouldn't be the first time that a South Korean president has been impeached. In 2016, then-President Park Geun-hye was impeached after being accused of helping a friend commit extortion.
And unlike the 200 votes required for Yoon's impeachment, only 151 votes are needed to pass an impeachment bill against the acting president - meaning the opposition did not need the ruling party's support to do so.
In 2004 another president, Roh Moo-hyun, was impeached and suspended for two months. The Constitutional Court later restored him to office.
On Friday, a total of 192 lawmakers voted for Han's impeachment.
Yoon's rash action stunned the country - which views itself as a thriving, modern democracy that has come far since its dictatorship days.
He will be suspended from his duties as soon as he is officially notified by parliament.
Many see this week's events as the biggest challenge to that democratic society in decades.
So what now?
Experts contend it may be more damaging to South Korea's reputation as a democracy than even the 6 January riots in the US.
It's hard to say.
"Yoon’s declaration of martial law appeared to be both legal overreach and a political miscalculation, unnecessarily risking South Korea’s economy and security," one expert, Leif-Eric Easley at Ewha University in Seoul said.
Finance minister Choi Sang-mok is set to replace Han as acting president, and has pledged to do all he can to end the country's political turmoil.
"He sounded like a politician under siege, making a desperate move against mounting scandals, institutional obstruction and calls for impeachment, all of which are now likely to intensify."
"Minimising governmental turmoil is of utmost importance at this moment," Choi said in an address shortly after his appointment, adding that "the government will also dedicate all its efforts to overcoming this period of turmoil".
But it's unclear if the opposition might move to impeach Choi, if they deem him to be uncooperative.
The markets have also reacted to the news. On Friday, the Korean won plunged to its lowest level against the dollar since the global financial crisis 16 years ago.
What lies ahead for Yoon's presidency, his party's rule and what happens next in one of the world's most important economies however, are still questions that remain unanswered.
