At 10:23 p.m. on December 3, 2024, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law for the first time since 1980. Within hours, chaos began to unfold as police battled with protesters and soldiers flew in military helicopters to storm the National Assembly grounds in Seoul.

6 hours of chaos

In just a few hectic hours, MPs were forced to scale the walls of the National Assembly compound to lift the martial law decree after being blocked by military troops and police. This is how it developed.

The morning after martial law was declared, people began gathering in protests in front of the National Assembly and in Gwanghwamun Square near Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul. They called for the president’s impeachment or resignation following the chaotic events of the previous night.

What’s next? The impeachment process

Six South Korean opposition parties introduced a bill in parliament on Wednesday to impeach Yoon, who has already faced accusations of intransigent leadership from his opponents and within his own party. Voting is scheduled for Friday or Saturday.

This is what the path to impeachment could look like.