Author: Alexander M. Hynd, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, UNSW Sydney

On Tuesday night, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol sent shockwaves through the world by declaring martial law in the country. Yoon’s opponents in the National Assembly immediately sought to mass at the legislature to block the decree. This led to a dramatic confrontation with soldiers over control of the building. However, in the early hours of Wednesday, sufficient numbers of South Korean legislators gained entry to the chamber. Of the 300 members, 190 made it inside, which is far more than the 150 needed for the vote to take place. They unanimously voted down the president’s order at around…