Yoon Suk Yeol vowed that as South Korean president he would “rebuild this great nation” into one “that truly belongs to the people” when he delivered his inauguration speech in May 2022.
Instead, his presidency has been marked by mounting unpopularity and political dysfunction, culminating on Tuesday in his declaration of martial law in the country for the first time in more than four decades.
Yoon has faced serious challenges from the start of his term, entering power with a low approval rating and a parliament dominated by the opposition.
The 63-year-old former prosecutor, who played major roles in the successful prosecutions of former presidents Park Geun-hye and Lee Myung-bak, had never held a political role before announcing his presidential candidacy in 2021.
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