Seoul, Dec 3 Former South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday urged South Koreans to draw lessons from last year's martial law crisis to build a stronger democracy as the nation marked the first anniversary of the surprise declaration.
"Let us not forget the lessons of that day and march forward toward a democracy strong enough that no one can shake," Moon wrote on his Facebook page.
"The past year has been a process of restoring a democracy that had been shaken."
Moon said he was deeply proud of South Koreans for demonstrating remarkable democratic resilience to the world and protecting democracy through what he described as the "revolution of light."
The former liberal president also criticised the "insurrectionist forces" behind the December 3 martial law imposition, saying they have yet to "reflect or apologise."
On December 3 last year, former President Yoon Suk Yeol declared emergency martial law in an unannounced televised address to the nation. The martial law was lifted within hours after it was voted down by lawmakers at the National Assembly, Yonhap news agency reported.
The 2024 South Korean martial law crisis was a political crisis in South Korea triggered by President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law. On December 3, 2024, Yoon, then the president of South Korea had announced the imposition of martial law during a televised address.
The declaration was opposed by both parties and resulted in protests. On December 4, 190 legislators who had arrived at the National Assembly Proceeding Hall unanimously passed a motion to lift martial law, despite attempts by the Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command to prevent the vote. Yoon and his cabinet lifted martial law and soon disbanded the Martial Law Command.
The opposition subsequently began impeachment proceedings against Yoon and said it would continue to do so if he did not resign. Uproar over the declaration has led to the resignation of several officials in Yoon's administration, including Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who urged Yoon to enact martial law during a last-minute cabinet meeting shortly before the declaration and was second-in-command of the martial law order.
Yoon, as well as other officials of his administration, and military officers were investigated for their role in the implementation of the decree.
On December 7, Yoon issued an apology for declaring martial law. The next day, the former Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun was arrested and sent to a detention facility for his role in the martial law order, where he would later attempt suicide shortly before a warrant could be filed against him. On December 12, Yoon stated that he would "fight to the end" and that the martial law declaration was an "act of governance" to protect against anti-state forces.
It is more widely believed that the declaration was motivated by political issues with the DPK-controlled Assembly over repeated impeachment attempts against officials, opposition to his budget, and various scandals involving him and his wife Kim Keon Hee.
Yoon was impeached on December 14 by the National Assembly and suspended from office pending a final ruling by the Constitutional Court on whether to confirm his removal from the presidency. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo served as acting president until he himself was also impeached on December 27, making Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok acting president. However, Han's impeachment was overturned by the Constitutional Court on March 24, reinstating him as acting president.
Yoon was arrested on January 15. On January 26, he was indicted for leading an insurrection, becoming the first sitting president to be arrested and indicted in South Korean history. On April 4, the Constitutional Court unanimously upheld Yoon's impeachment and removal from office over the martial law declaration.
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