Zealous tourists are unfazed by South Korea's sudden martial law turmoil

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Many tourists in Seoul seemed largely unfazed by the political turmoil unfolding in the capital as they flocked Wednesday to the city’s largest palace, local landmarks and shopping streets.

Some awoke to worried text messages from friends and family, who heard the news about President Yoon Suk Yeol’s stunning martial law declaration Tuesday night. Yoon abruptly imposed emergency martial law, vowing to eliminate “anti-state” forces after he struggled to push forward his agenda in the opposition-dominated parliament.

But his martial law was effective for only about six hours, as the National Assembly voted to overrule the president. With the declaration formally lifted, tourists ventured from their hotels.

Early Wednesday at Gyeongbokgung Palace, the largest of royal palaces, tourists wore traditional clothing rented from nearby shops as they posed for photos.

Emma Basnawi, visiting from Indonesia, said she thought “something big might happen” when she heard about the martial law declaration, and was a little concerned. But riots and protests aren’t unusual back at home in Jakarta so she planned to stick to her itinerary as much as possible, she said.

Walking toward the palace with a tour group, Stephen Rowan, of Brisbane, Australia, said he wasn’t worried. He had asked a friend from South Korea to help him understand what was happening.

“I would have been concerned if martial law had stayed enforced,” he said.

Early Wednesday morning, police with shields arrived in the palace area, known historically as a popular protest site. But other than that, it seemed like a normal cold Seoul December morning.

Not far from the palace, tour groups wandered through the Bukchon Hanok Village, taking photos of the residential neighborhood and its many restored traditional houses.

Elisabetta Munari, on vacation from Milan, Italy, took a morning hike to Seoul Tower on the summit of Namsan Mountain, to see the views of the city. She had a week off from work and is traveling alone for the first time.

“A lot of people from Italy wrote to me during the night when I was sleeping,” she said. “But everyone here has gone to school and to work today. Of course, I’m not going to the city center, but still I’m around. I don’t think the situation is critical.”

The commercial Insadong and Myeongdong shopping streets were teeming with people, too. Geff Johnson, from Sydney, Australia, looked at the art for sale on the main street of Insadong with friends. He said their tour was canceled that day to the demilitarized zone, the swath of land between North and South Korea, because of the martial law declaration.

Johnson said he felt at ease because he had seen many police officers around in Seoul and so many locals and tourists were out shopping.

For the time being, he said, things seem safe.

Tourists wander taking photos of the residential neighborhood and its many restored traditional houses in the Bukchon Hanok Village, in Seoul, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/ Jennifer McDermott)

Tourists watch the rehearsal for the royal guard changing ceremony at the Gyeongbokgung Palace, in Seoul, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/ Jennifer McDermott)

Tourists wander taking photos of the residential neighborhood and its many restored traditional houses in the Bukchon Hanok Village, in Seoul, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/ Jennifer McDermott)

Visitors wearing South Korean traditional costume "Hanbok" was in front of the Gwanghwamun, the main gate of the 14th-century Gyeongbok Palace, one of South Korea's well known landmarks, in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Jessica Hernandez, third from right, from the U.S. takes a photo near the Gwanghwamun, the main gate of the 14th-century Gyeongbok Palace, one of South Korea's well known landmarks, in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Tourists wearing traditional clothing rented from nearby shops pose for photos at the Gyeongbokgung Palace, in Seoul, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/ Jennifer McDermott)

LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Lewis Hamilton is looking back on an “amazing journey” and the most successful partnership in Formula 1 history as he prepares to bid farewell to Mercedes this week and join Ferrari.

The move offers a new start for the 39-year-old Hamilton, who's had a difficult end to his last Mercedes season. Ferrari's first task next year might be to get him back on form.

“I don't think we're going to end up on a high,” Hamilton said Sunday after finishing 12th in Qatar in another tough race which saw him get penalties, a puncture, and even ask Mercedes for permission to retire the car. Two days earlier, he said he was “definitely not fast any more” after struggling again in qualifying.

Hamilton's last race for Mercedes at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday will bring down the curtain on a 12-year stay with the team. He won six of his seven world titles with Mercedes, the most by any F1 driver with a single team.

As an all-time great and the sport's only Black driver, Hamilton's influence extends far beyond the F1 grid.

Hamilton shook up F1 with the shock announcement in February that he would join Ferrari in 2025 — a decision he even kept secret from his parents — and the prospect of leaving Mercedes has overshadowed this season.

“I’ve had all year to think about it, so there’s been those highs and lows through the year. I can’t predict how I’m going to feel next Sunday after the race, or the days to follow, or at Christmas time,” Hamilton said last week.

Hamilton said he would miss the “family” atmosphere at Mercedes and will leave with warm memories, including of Niki Lauda, the former F1 champion who played a key role in bringing him to the team and who died in 2019.

“There’s many, many great moments. Moments with Niki, amazing conversations, arguments,” Hamilton said. “It’s been an amazing journey together, one that I’ve genuinely loved.”

The last time Hamilton switched teams, he found it hard to stay away from his old employer. Hamilton recalled the incident in 2013 when he mistakenly drove into McLaren’s pit at the Malaysian Grand Prix, in his second race after leaving for Mercedes.

“I remember when I joined this team it was strange driving past my old team in the pit lane, to the point that I stopped at theirs at one point,” he said.

After an emotional victory at his home British Grand Prix in July ended a 945-day wait for a win, Hamilton took another win at the Belgian Grand Prix when his teammate George Russell finished first but was disqualified. Since then, though, Hamilton has placed behind Russell in 10 of 12 races, including sprints.

Qualifying has been Hamilton's biggest problem, forcing him to try to make up places on race day.

“When you’re always back where I am (on the grid), it makes it very hard, almost impossible, to be competing for wins," he said last week.

Hamilton is missing one potential chance to drive the Ferrari this year in the testing session after the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He said it’s not possible under his contract with Mercedes but he didn’t want to start his Ferrari career that way, anyway.

It's likely Hamilton will get take the wheel behind closed doors at Ferrari's famed Fiorano test track early next year.

“I know (Ferrari team principal) Fred (Vasseur) wanted it to happen. For me, I was in two minds. Driving the red car for the first time in Abu Dhabi does not excite me. In a perfect world you’d get to drive and not be seen and do the first rollout next year,” he said. “Am I missing out on something? For sure.”

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain leaves the pit during sprint qualifying at the Lusail International Circuit in Lusail, Qatar, ahead of the Qatar Formula One Grand Prix, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic, Pool)

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain gets ready for practice at the Lusail International Circuit in Lusail, Qatar, ahead of the Qatar Formula One Grand Prix, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain walks through paddock as he arrives at the Lusail International Circuit in Lusail, Qatar, ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain leaves the pit during practice at the Lusail International Circuit in Lusail, Qatar, ahead of the Qatar Formula One Grand Prix, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain prepares prior to the start of the sprint race at the Formula One Qatar Grand Prix, at the Lusail International Circuit in Lusail, Qatar, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain prepares prior to the start of the sprint race at the Formula One Qatar Grand Prix, at the Lusail International Circuit in Lusail, Qatar, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Pool/ Altaf Qadri)

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain prepares prior to the start of the sprint race at the Formula One Qatar Grand Prix, at the Lusail International Circuit in Lusail, Qatar, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Pool/ Altaf Qadri)