Life in Seoul goes on after six-hour martial law shock

Seoul — South Koreans went to offices, businesses and schools as usual on Wednesday with scarcely any visible signs in the capital Seoul that six hours of surprise martial law and high political drama overnight had spilt into everyday life.

The city of 9-million started the day normally with the usual morning rush hour in trains and on the streets after President Yoon Suk Yeol lifted his abortive attempt at banning political activities and censoring news media just before dawn.

But many were in shock at such a sudden turn of events, which pushed stocks down and South Korea’s currency to multiyear lows during a time of already faltering economic growth.

There have been more than a dozen instances of martial law being declared in South Korea since it became a republic in 1948, but the last time was more than four decades ago when Gen Chun Doo-Hwan staged a coup and ruled from 1980 to 1988. Seoul resident Gang He-Soo, 50, said she woke from sleep by chance and saw the news.

“At first, I was scared and very confused. I kept thinking, ‘What is going on? Is this something that could actually happen in this era?’ I couldn’t sleep until the martial law was lifted because I was so frightened,” Gang said, walking in Seoul’s main commercial and tourist district Gwanghwamun.

Yoon declared martial law in a live TV address at about 10.30pm local time on Tuesday, only to reverse course after parliament defied police and special forces cordons about the National Assembly to vote, forcing him to lift the declaration.

The president’s office said the declaration of martial law was done at night to “minimise damage to the national economy and people’s lives”.

South Korean soldiers equipped with rifles, body armour and night-vision equipment were seen entering the parliament building in Seoul through smashed windows.

Helicopters hovered in the night sky above the building.

“It was an experience that I’ve only seen in movies, and I realised how much more serious it is than I had imagined,” said 39-year-old Seoul resident Kim Byeong-In, who said he was concerned about the impact on the economy.

“I’m deeply disturbed by this kind of situation, and I’m very concerned about the future of the country,” Kim said.

Many people said they stayed up late following the news, which stations continued to report despite Yoon declaring that media subject to martial law. Just after the news broke, the usually quiet passengers on a Seoul subway train started talking to each other. A man read a news story out to a companion, a Reuters witness said.

Thousands of people streamed to the riverside National Assembly late on Tuesday and into Wednesday calling for Yoon’s order to be blocked and then his arrest and resignation.

Almost two-thirds of parliament’s 300 members scrambled to the National Assembly at night for a vote to reject the martial law.

A major South Korean convenience store chain, which declined to be identified to avoid association with the current political situation, said sales of canned goods from its stores jumped 337% between 11pm and midnight on Tuesday, compared to the same period a week earlier.

Sales of instant noodle packets jumped 254% and bottled water jumped 141%, a spokesperson said.

Some companies overnight advised employees to work from home, but business outlets were open and the morning rush hour was as normal.

South Korea's largest union coalition, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, said on Wednesday that tens of thousands of its members would strike until Yoon resigns, and will hold a rally in the evening in downtown Seoul.

Several other protests were expected on Wednesday.

“I only knew that martial law had been declared for some reason, but it ended without anything significant, making the reason seem meaningless. It just felt a bit strange to me,” said Seoul resident Park Jun-Yeop.

Reuters