South Korea update
MPs are trying to get into the parliament building so they can vote against the decree. If a majority of MPs vote against the implementation of martial law, then the order is invalid.This has now happened — with both government and opposition MPs voting in favour.
So… Now what happens? Will the president back down? I have no idea. The president is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, as is tradition in most other countries. That doesn’t mean he has unilateral control over them, but it is clear that the police and military have already been partially mobilised.
The hope is that the President backs down now. His decree is legally invalid. But he does already appear to be acting as if that does not matter.
If he does not back down, then we are in for a very long and terrifying week.
