What on Earth is Happening In South Korea?

By Anthony Kuhn,

Greg Dixon

Published December 4, 2024 at 9:52 AM EST

South Korean soldiers try get into the national assembly on December 4, 2024 in Seoul, South Korea. Yoon Suk Yeol announced he was taking the step, which enacts temporary rule by the military, during a televised speech on Tuesday, saying it was critical for defending the country's constitutional order.

In a shocking turn of events, martial law was declared late at night by the president of South Korea, giving him extraordinary powers. Then after protests and an act of parliament, the order was reversed seven hours later. To try to understand what is happening with this key U.S. ally and trading partner, we hear from NPR's correspondent in Seoul.

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Anthony Kuhn

Anthony Kuhn is NPR's correspondent based in Seoul, South Korea, reporting on the Korean Peninsula, Japan, and the great diversity of Asia's countries and cultures. Before moving to Seoul in 2018, he traveled to the region to cover major stories including the North Korean nuclear crisis and the Fukushima earthquake and nuclear disaster.

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Greg Dixon

See stories by Greg Dixon