South Korea’s president says he will lift martial law after order sparks fury

By Mark Stone, US correspondent

“What was that all about?” 

Five words that will doubtless have winged their way in diplomatic cables to Western ambassadors in Seoul over the last few hours, along with a dose of relief that whatever happened appears to be over. 

The US State Department spokesman did a fine job in exposing just how off-guard America was caught through the course of the day. Vedant Patel was treading water as a barrage of questions came at him. He had no answers. 

The fact that he chose language like “gravely concerned” was telling of the unknowns but also the importance of stability on the Korean peninsula. 

The Republic of Korea (South Korea) is home to nearly 30,000 US troops, plus some of their families. There are nearly 50,000 US citizens living there. 

It is the key US ally in the region. The fact that the White House was unaware of President Yoon’s move until it happened will have rattled them. 

The news puts a useful focus on the stability of the Korean peninsula – both north and south. 

The decision by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to send 10,000 soldiers to help Russia fight its war in Ukraine blindsided the Americans and deeply concerned them. 

Those troops are now gaining combat experience for the first time in their lives. That was an important motivation by Kim Jong Un in sending them. He is playing a longer game and has always had sights on unification with the South. 

The other thing to consider from the events in Seoul is America’s political transition. Like many of the geo-political manoeuvres we’ve seen in the past few weeks, you have to wonder how much of it is happening because of this uniquely vulnerable time we are in.

Joe Biden is not just a lame duck president but a very elderly one whose faculties are a genuine cause of concern. 

His frail appearance on his visit to Angola today, where he had to be guided and helped around by his Angolan host, only served to underline the extraordinary lame nature of the current American president. 

Then there is Donald Trump. He is already making clear presidential pronouncements which are aspirational only until 20 January when he takes office. 

We’re in a strange and unnerving geopolitical vacuum right now.