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(Photo: South Korean Presidential Office via Getty Images)

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The story

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law and asked the armed forces to suspend normal democratic freedoms, for example by allowing them to protest.

Yoon said martial law was necessary because of threats from North Korea. But critics say Yoon wanted to use martial law in response to scandals and problems he faces.

The armed forces could not stop the members of the National Assembly from voting against this measure.

Faced with opposition, President Yoon ended martial law just hours after it was declared.

President Yoon is now facing calls to resign, and the opposition has launched a bid to oust him.

News headlines

Political chaos in South Korea: what is martial law and what comes after Yoon Suk Yeol’s U-turn?
The Guardian

Korean Yoon, backpedalpromises to lift martial law
Politics

South Korea’s Yoon ends martial law after political elections Gambling
Bloomberg

Keywords and phrases

U-turn
a reverse decision

• The council reversed their decision to close the pool after local protests.

backpedal
deciding not to do something you started or said you were going to do

• Juan said he was going to paint the house this weekend, but now he backs out and says it will be the following week.

gambling
a risky strategy

• The president’s gamble to call early elections has paid off. She won easily.

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