South Korea’s right-wing president, Yoon Suk Yeol, suddenly declared martial law across the country on Tuesday and then swiftly rescinded it after the self-declared anti-communist power grab was unanimously rejected by parliament and sparked a public mass uprising.

Late Tuesday evening, Yoon declared martial law, saying that there is a need to protect the country from “communist forces” and to eliminate “anti-state forces.” The decree prohibited all political activities, put all news publications under control of martial law and banned all labor activities like strikes or work slowdowns.

Members of the National Assembly, South Korea’s parliament, rushed to the chamber after the declaration, with one lawmaker saying that he had to climb over a wall to get past police and military who were blocking the building. Less than three hours after it was declared, parliament voted, 190 to 0, to reverse the edict.

Meanwhile, protests erupted in Seoul after the declaration. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, one of South Korea’s largest unions with over 1 million members, called for an “indefinite general strike” until Yoon resigned.

Even though the parliament voted to undo the declaration, military officials had reportedly pledged to continue enforcing it until the president lifted it, according to South Korean news channel YTN.

But then, just about six hours after Yoon’s surprise television conference, he rescinded his declaration, citing the National Assembly’s vote. It was the first time martial law had........

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