South Korean president's failed attempt at martial law may put his position in peril

Seoul, South Korea — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's shocking late-night declaration of martial law brought years of clashes with domestic opponents, the media, and even his own conservative party to a head and threw his political future into doubt.

He promised to roll back that order only hours later after parliament, including some members of his own party, voted to block the move.

Yoon squeaked out a victory in the tightest presidential election in South Korean history in 2022 on a wave of discontent over economic policy, scandals and gender wars, reshaping the political future of Asia's fourth-largest economy.

He was embraced by leaders in the West as a partner in the U.S.-led effort to unify democracies against growing authoritarianism in China, Russia and elsewhere.

But even as he talked up a foreign policy of shared democratic values, Yoon drew increasing accusations of heavy-handed leadership at home, and fears of more strident crackdowns have percolated for some time.

During his confirmation hearing as defense minister in September, Kim Yong-hyun, then Yoon's head of presidential security, denied opposition lawmakers' suggestions that his appointment was part of preparations to declare martial law.

A spokesman for Yoon did not respond to repeated phone calls.

Yoon's move comes as South Korea tries to shore up its position before the Jan. 20 inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who clashed with Yoon's predecessor over trade and paying for U.S. troops stationed in South Korea.

"For a president who has focused so much on South Korea's international reputation, this makes South Korea look very unstable," said Mason Richey, a professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul. "This will have a negative effect on financial and currency markets and South Korea's diplomatic place in the world."

One Western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive politics, said the martial law declaration would complicate conversations about South Korea joining more multinational diplomatic efforts.

Jenny Town of the U.S.-based Stimson Center think tank said the move appeared "desperate and dangerous" and could spell the beginning of the end of Yoon's presidency.

"He was already unpopular, but this might just be the final straw to move impeachment processes forward," she said.

Erosion in democracy 

Democracy in South Korea took a step backward since Yoon took office, the Varieties of Democracy Institute at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden said in an annual report in March, citing legal cases against figures associated with the previous administration and assaults on gender equality and freedom of expression.

Yoon has responded to criticisms by declaring them fake news, filing more defamation cases than other recent presidents and in some cases restricting media access.

Under Yoon, South Korea dropped from 47th to 62nd in the global press freedom index unveiled this year by Reporters Without Borders.

In some cases he claimed "pro-North Korean" or "anti-state" forces were behind criticism of him - language he used on Tuesday to justify his martial law order.

"The forces of communist totalitarianism have disguised themselves as democracy activists, human rights advocates and progressive activists," Yoon said in speech last year.

The president's ruling conservative People Power Party suffered a heavy loss in April's general election as the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea took 175 out of the 300 seats in the National Assembly.

The Democratic Party, which is in disarray with its leader convicted of election law violations and facing charges of corruption, clashed with Yoon over budgets and investigations into Yoon's wife and top officials.

In November, Yoon denied wrongdoing in an influence-peddling scandal involving him and his wife that has driven his approval ratings to record lows.

Yoon has also taken a hard line against labour unions, as well as striking doctors who oppose a major healthcare reform plan that would add 2,000 medical students a year to make up what the government says is a severe shortage of physicians.

Tuesday's martial law decree ordered those doctors back to work.

Yoon's handling of the scandals as well as the doctors' strike led to public rifts with Han Dong-hoon, his former confidant and current leader of Yoon's People Power Party.

Han and the PPP called for Yoon to roll back the order.

David Rhee, 48, said he was a PPP supporter but came out to protest outside the parliament on Wednesday because Yoon's move was beyond comprehension.

"Communist forces? That is Yoon's dogma, not fact," he said.

(Reporting by Josh Smith; additional reporting by Ju-min Park in Seoul and David Brunnstrom in Washington; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)