As protesters confronted armed soldiers outside South Korea's National Assemblyon the night of December 3, it was immediately apparent that something unexpected was taking place. No sooner had President Yoon Suk Yeol appeared on televisionto declare martial law than citizens began arriving and facing down the nation's military.

Demonstrations against South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law have drawn participants from all generations. Teenage girls and young women have been the most active in opposing a president known for his disdain for feminism and minorities.

Yoon Suk Yeol has not complied with summonses by authorities investigating whether his martial-law declaration constituted insurrection.