South Korea’s president has accepted the resignation offer by his defense minister, as opposition parties moved to impeach both men over the stunning yet short-lived imposition of martial law that brought armed troops into Seoul streets.

On Wednesday, South Koreans woke up to the unbelievable news that, overnight, President Yoon Suk-yeol had declared martial law. The act was swiftly overturned by the National Assembly. Once again, institutional guardrails against authoritarianism held firm and democracy prevailed, at least for now.