SK impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol avoided arrest after standoff – Timeline of South Korea’s Martial Law Saga so far

By | January 3, 2025 |

For those that had not been following the South Korean Martial Law saga, you may be surprised to learn that, until today, the President of South Korea who declared the surprised nationwide emergency martial law controversially then, Yoon Suk Yeol, remains… somewhat President… and not arrested.

So I’m sure, we now need to recap and understand the lore of this saga moving forward, as it is becoming a fracas of epic proportions.

A TV screen shows a file image of South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol being broadcast at the KEB Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul on 26 December 2024. Photo: AP / Independent

Timeline of South Korea’s Martial Law Saga

December 3, 2024: Declaration of Martial Law

  • 10:23 PM: President Yoon Suk Yeol declares emergency martial law in a televised address, citing threats from “anti-state forces” and North Korean communists. The Straits Times
  • 10:40 PM: The main opposition party calls for an emergency parliamentary session in response to the declaration. The Straits Times
  • 11:00 PM: Martial Law Decree No. 1 takes effect, enforced by Army Chief of Staff General Park An-su, whom Yoon appointed as martial law commander KoreaPro
  • 11:14 PM: National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik arrives at the Assembly, with lawmakers navigating police barricades to enter The Straits Times
President Yoon Suk-yeol declares emergency martial law during an emergency address from the presidential office in Seoul on the evening of Dec. 3, 2024. Photo: Shin So-young/Hankyoreh

December 4, 2024: Martial Law Lifted

  • Around Midnight: Over 150 lawmakers gather, meeting the quorum requirement. Military helicopters land, and a special operations unit arrives at the Assembly  The Straits Times
  • 12:47 AM: The National Assembly convenes, with Speaker Woo Won Shik declaring the martial law invalid. AP News
  • 1:00 AM: Lawmakers vote unanimously (190-0) to lift the martial law. AP News
  • 4:26 AM: President Yoon announces in a second televised address that he will lift martial law, citing public and political pressure The Straits Times
  • 4:30 AM: Martial law is officially lifted following a Cabinet meeting. AP News
  • 4:31 AM: South Korean troops return to their bases, officially ending the martial law The Straits Times
While President Yoon Suk Yeol declared an emergency martial law on the evening of the 3rd, martial law troops entered the main office of the National Assembly from the National Assembly in Seoul on the night of the 4th. Photo: Yonhap News / Maeil Business Newspaper
Staff from the opposition Democratic Party barricaded doors inside the National Assembly. Photo: DW / Yonhap / Reuters
Lee Jae-myung called the declaration of martial law ‘illegal’. Photo: DW / Yonhap / Reuters

December 14, 2024: Presidential Impeachment

  • The National Assembly votes to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived martial law decree in an overwhelming vote, with members of his own party supporting the motion. He is accused of insurrection and abuse of power leading to his suspension from office pending a Constitutional Court decision. AP News

December 27, 2024: Prime Minister’s Impeachment

  • Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, serving as acting president, is also impeached by the National Assembly, further deepening the political crisis. The Times
South Korean parliament votes to impeach acting president Han Duck Soo. Photo: AOL / Independent

January 2, 2025: Attempted Arrest of President Yoon

  • Investigators attempt to detain impeached President Yoon at his residence in Seoul, but are blocked by presidential security staff and supporters, leading to a tense six-hour standoff. AP News

January 3, 2025: Ongoing Standoff

  • Authorities continue efforts to execute the arrest warrant for President Yoon, who remains defiant, calling the warrant illegal and vowing to “fight until the end.” Reuters
Police and anti-corruption investigators arrive at the residence of South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul on January 3, 2025. 
Photo: Jung Yeon-je/AFP/Getty Images

As of January 3, 2025, South Korea remains in a state of political turmoil, with the Constitutional Court deliberating on President Yoon’s impeachment and the nation awaiting resolution to the ongoing crisis.

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