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It will go down in history as one of the shortest impositions of martial law in history. Only six hours passed between South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of military rule on Tuesday night and his subsequent revocation. Despite deep divisions, the nation quickly came together to repudiate the president’s decision. Parliament unanimously rejected it as civilians peacefully protested in the streets and Korean media continued to publish criticism. For now, South Korea has withstood a shocking stress test of its democracy. For a key Western ally in the Indo-Pacific region, considered an example for its extraordinary economic transformation and political liberalization, it is encouraging that democracy has proven its worth.
Still, Yoon’s reckless decision has plunged the country into its worst moment. constitutional crisis in decades. Tuesday night’s scenes were chaotic. Hundreds of soldiers descended on the National Assembly building. Public confusion reigned over whether a coup attempt or mere political theater was taking place. Investors panicked, causing financial authorities promise “unlimited” liquidity support for markets. Although Yoon’s experiment with martial law was thankfully short-lived, the episode will be a lasting stain on the country’s democratic record.
His statement appears to have been the act of a desperate, selfish leader without a plan. Yoon justified the move in an unscheduled national broadcast, stating that he needed to purge South Korea of ”anti-state forces” and “normalize the country.” He accused opposition parties of holding sympathetic views toward North Korea, reflecting a long-standing divide in the country’s politics and an attempt to exploit fears about its hostile northern neighbor. His party, the opposition and civilians knew he was not acting on a genuine threat.
Yoon has been a lame duck president. He claimed the presidency in 2022 with a victory margin of just 0.73 percent. He has frequently clashed with the opposition-controlled legislature. Several laws he had supported have been rejected. Tensions came to a head last week when the opposition voted to make cuts to a government budget bill. Yoon claimed the cuts would turn South Korea into a “drug paradise.”
The president perhaps gambled that declaring martial law could allow him to push his agenda. Other pressures may also have influenced your decision. His tenure has been mired in corruption scandals, including one involving his wife. Yoon’s approval ratings have been poor. Opposition leaders have also attempted to remove members of his cabinet and prosecutors.
Unfortunately, political paralysis has become a norm in South Korea. Its presidential system grants the head of state and government broad powers, but limits them to a single term. This has led to micromanagement and the regular use of veto powers. Changes in president are often accompanied by sharp changes in policy. Several Korean presidents have also faced prosecutions and convictions.
Yoon must be held accountable for putting Korea’s international standing and its hard-won democratic progress at stake. Although the won and Korean stocks reversed some of their early losses, this week’s developments will add to investors’ existing concerns about South Korea’s economic outlook and stability. Lawmakers have rightly introduced a motion for his impeachment, which will be voted on later this week. The president’s position is clearly untenable.
The public and institutional response to Yoon’s actions has shown that Korean democracy is strong. This moment of testing should now be the wake-up call the nation needs to build an even stronger edifice on those foundations.