South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol briefly imposed martial law on Dec. 3, deploying troops to the National Assembly before reversing the order hours later amid widespread public and legislative backlash.

This unprecedented move, the country’s first martial law declaration since Chun Doo-hwan’s authoritarian regime in 1979, has drawn intense criticism, raising questions about Yoon’s motives and the legality of his actions.

While Yoon cited legislative paralysis and budgetary disputes with the opposition Democratic Party (DP) as justification, legal experts and political commentators argue the decision lacked constitutional grounds and threatens South Korea’s democratic institutions. The fallout from the incident is