The 2024 South Korean martial law attempt was a failed self-coup

Art · Published 19 October 2026 · Updated 22 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: On 3 December 2024, President Yoon Suk Yeol stunned the nation by declaring martial law. Accusing the opposition of anti-state activities, he attempted to suspend political life. This sudden move, the first of its kind since 1980, triggered a rapid constitutional crisis and an unprecedented presidential impeachment.

The crisis began at 22:2<0xA0>27 KST on 3 December 2024, when President Yoon Suk Yeol delivered a televised address declaring martial law. He characterized the Democratic Party’s majority in the National Assembly as a "legislative dictatorship" and accused them of collaborating with North Korean communists. The decree sought to restrict the press and suspend political activities, even ordering the arrest of political opponents from both the DPK and his own People Power Party.

The attempt was short-lived. By 01:02 on 4 December, 190 legislators present in the National Assembly unanimously voted to lift the decree, despite efforts by the Army Special Warfare Command to block the vote. Yoon lifted martial law at 04:30. The aftermath saw the resignation of Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who had been a key figure in the order, and the start of impeachment proceedings. Investigations later revealed that Yoon and his administration had discussed implementing martial law approximately 10 times since March 2024.

The legal and political fallout was profound. Yoon was impeached on 14 December 2024 and suspended from office. In a historic first, he was arrested on 15 January 2025 and indicted for insurrection on 26 January. By 4 April, the Constitutional Court unanimously upheld his removal. The judiciary later found Yoon and others guilty of insurrection on 19 February 2026, sentencing Yoon to life in prison and Kim Yong-hyun to 30 years.

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