At 10:30 p.m. on December 3 (KST), President Yoon called an emergency press conference and declared martial law effective from 11 p.m. the same day. During a live televised announcement, he blamed the opposition for obstructing government actions, including budget cuts and continuous efforts to impeach government officials.
At 10:49 p.m., PPP leader Han Dong-hoon condemned Yoon’s decision.
At 10:56 p.m., DP leader Lee Jae-myung denounced the martial law declaration as illegal and urged lawmakers to gather at the National Assembly. The DP, the main opposition party, holds a majority in the South Korean parliament.
At 11:50 p.m., police blocked entry to the National Assembly as lawmakers and reporters tried to enter. Armed soldiers soon entered the building.
By midnight on December 4, additional troops arrived in Yeouido, west of Seoul, by helicopter and attempted to breach the National Assembly building.
At 12:45 a.m., about 100 protesters gathered outside the National Assembly, calling for martial law to be revoked.
At 12:47 a.m., DP lawmakers convened inside the parliament to discuss the annulment of martial law. Meanwhile, soldiers smashed the windows of the main building, attempting to enter the chamber where the session was taking place.
At 12:57 a.m., lawmakers took their seats in the assembly hall.
At 12:58 a.m., DP leader Lee Jae-myung arrived at the chamber.
At 1 a.m., a vote to annul martial law took place.
By 1:01 a.m., the National Assembly unanimously voted to end martial law, with all 190 lawmakers present voting in favor.
At 1:02 a.m., the Speaker’s Office declared, “Martial law is null and void.”
At 1:06 a.m., National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik vowed to defend democracy and ordered the soldiers and police inside the building to leave. Helicopters soon began to depart from the premises.
At 1:07 a.m., parliamentary aides blocked access to the chamber.
By 1:14 a.m., the Presidential Office had yet to comment on the vote. Legally, if the National Assembly votes to revoke martial law with a majority—requiring at least 151 lawmakers—the president is obligated to comply.
At 1:17 a.m., lawmaker Cho Kuk, former senior presidential secretary for civil affairs and ex-justice minister, stated, “If the president does not comply with the parliamentary decision, it is clearly illegal. Declaring martial law was unlawful and grounds for impeachment. This is a national crisis.”
At 1:21 a.m., PPP leader Han Dong-hoon confirmed that martial law had been invalidated.
At 1:23 a.m., soldiers began leaving the National Assembly building.
At 1:26 a.m., helicopters carrying troops took off from behind the building.
By 1:27 a.m., the crowd of protesters outside the assembly continued to grow, demanding President Yoon’s resignation.
At 1:30 a.m., Speaker Woo Won-shik confirmed that no soldiers remained inside the National Assembly.
Around 3 a.m., President Yoon announced the lifting of martial law following the parliamentary vote.
Source: K14