South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol made the unprecedented decision to impose martial law on Tuesday, plunging the country into political chaos and leading the parliament to take action to force him to rescind the order just hours later.

In a special joint episode, members of the NK News and Korea Pro teams dissect the dramatic and unexpected turn of events, from why Yoon justified martial law as necessary to combat “pro-North Korea elements” to the standoff between lawmakers and security forces at the National Assembly.

Korea Pro Editorial Director Jeongmin Kim shares her insights from reporting on the ground, while Editor John Lee and junior news reporter Joon Ha Park outline how South Korea’s political parties reacted to Yoon’s declaration and how Pyongyang could seek to exploit the situation.

The episode also explores the immediate fallout of Yoon’s decision, including mass Cabinet resignations and likely impeachment proceedings.

About the podcasts: The North Korea News Podcast is a weekly podcast hosted by Jacco Zwetsloot exclusively for NK News, covering all things DPRK — from news to extended interviews with leading experts and analysts in the field, along with insight from our very own journalists.

The Korea Pro Podcast is a weekly 15-minute conversation hosted by Editorial Director Jeongmin Kim and Editor John Lee diving deep into the most pressing stories shaping South Korea — and dissecting the most complicated ones for professionals monitoring ROK politics, diplomacy, culture, society and technology. Uploaded every Friday.