The South Korean president (also a former prosecutor general) abruptly declared martial law around 10 PM (KST) to counter "anti-state forces." This event is far more than a fleeting six-hour episode—it carries profound historical significance.
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1. National trauma: South Korea has a deep historical pain and trauma tied to martial law. Forty-five years ago, Chun Doo-hwan (the 5th president, serving from 1980 to 1988) imposed a nationwide state of emergency under the guise of "restoring order.”
With this expanded martial law, innocent civilians were mercilessly sacrificed at the hands of their own military--To this day, the nation holds memorial services every May to honor the victims and their families.
2. Erosion of democracy: President Yoon Suk-yeol's inclination toward authoritarianism is not a recent development. In the past, he criticized a journalist's question as "disrespectful" and pushed forward controversial policies, exacerbating social conflict.
The deployment of military forces in the National Assembly today risked escalating into a violent clash. It remains unclear whether Yoon and his aides thoroughly assessed these risks.
It's important to remember that he is the president who secured 48.56% of the vote in the latest presidential election. This underscores the ongoing trends of rising authoritarianism and growing populism. Democracy is a historical legacy achieved through the power of the people.
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