So, like, South Korea has been having major drama this week. President Yoon Suk Yeol totally freaked out on December 3, 2024, and declared martial law—yes, martial law, like, no one saw that coming! He said it was because the country was, like, super unstable with all these investigations into his administration and family. But, um, everyone else was like, “Nope, this is just you being way extra.”
Cue instant chaos! People hit the streets in massive protests, calling him a dictator. The National Assembly (which is totally run by the opposition, btw) voted to shut down the martial law situation in record time. Yoon had no choice but to backpedal and cancel it the next day. Awkward! Oh, and his Defense Minister even quit—yikes.
The Whole Impeachment Drama
Okay, so here’s where it gets wild. The opposition tried to impeach him because, duh, declaring martial law for no good reason is kinda a big deal. But they, like, don’t have the numbers in Parliament to actually kick him out. Sooo, Yoon is still president, but, like, barely hanging on. His approval ratings are in the toilet—17% or something tragic like that.
Then Yoon went on TV and did this whole apology thing, saying, “I deeply regret the turmoil my actions brought to the nation.” It was very much a “Sorry, not sorry” vibe, tbh. He also promised to work with Parliament, but, like, does anyone even believe that at this point?
This Is, Like, History in the Making
This whole martial law thing hasn’t happened in South Korea since, like, the 1980s when they were under actual military rule. People are not okay with it. Analysts are saying it could totally shake up politics for years, and maybe they’ll even change some rules so no president can just pull this kind of stunt again.
Anyway, Yoon might’ve dodged impeachment for now, but with protests still raging and everyone side-eyeing him, his political career is looking very “Thanks, but no thanks.”
For more, you can check out CBC’s coverage and BBC’s article. It’s, like, the drama of the year!
XOXO,
Valley Girl News
p.s. Image generated by AI
