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January 12th, 2025 | 2:28 PM ET

5 Hours That Shook South Korea – and What Comes Next

The President’s martial law declaration sparked middle-of-the-night protests and a dramatic reversal

EXPERT INTERVIEW
South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol speaks during the declaration of emergency martial law at the Presidential Office on December 03, 2024 in Seoul, South Korea (Photo by South Korean Presidential Office via Getty Images)
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Posted: December 3rd, 2024

By The Cipher Brief

EXPERT INTERVIEW — It was a shock that few saw coming – and which brought memories of South Korea’s days as a military dictatorship, a generation ago: President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law late Tuesday, in an announcement that stunned the nation, sparking outrage from politicians, large-scale protests, and a National Assembly vote to overturn the measure. 

Before dawn Wednesday, roughly five hours after his declaration, President Yoon had backed down.

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