South Korean democracy tested as Yoon clings to power

In the week since December 3, Hyobin Lee, a college professor who lives in Seoul, has been on an emotional rollercoaster, swinging from shock when President Yoon Suk-yeol briefly  declared martial law to anger about the aftermath of this move.

An adjunct professor of politics and ethics at Chungnam National University, Lee said the events had rekindled a determination to protect the democracy that so many South Koreans have died for in the past.

She told DW she believed democracy had prevailed, but it was a close call.

On Saturday, she was one of 10s of thousands of South Koreans to protest outside the National Assembly. She held up a sign bearing the single word: "Impeach."

South Korea's opposition undeterred

Inside the parliament, a motion brought by the opposition Democratic Party to impeach Yoon for "unconstitutionally and illegally" declaring martial law failed as members of Yoon's People Power Party (PPP) boycotted the vote.

Yoon has since been banned from leaving South Korea and the PPP leader Han Dong-hunhas called on Yoon to resign.

The opposition says it intends to bring another motion to the chamber this Wednesday and every week until Yoon is removed.

It has also persuaded prosecutors to open an investigation into Yoon on charges of treason and abuse of power. Yoon's defense minister, Kim Yong-hyun, has already been arrested on treason charges and is being questioned.

An alarming reminder of the past

Lee, who was not in Seoul on the day that martial law was declared but followed developments throughout the night, said the events last week were an alarming throwback to South Korea's authoritarian past.

"Seeing armed soldiers was terrifying. I couldn't believe such events were possible in 2024," she said. "The most shocking moments were when armed soldiers broke the windows to enter the National Assembly and helicopters descended onto its grounds."

"One of the most frightening aspects was that soldiers went to arrest Kim Ou-joon, a left-wing journalist," she added.

"This government, which ruthlessly punishes those who oppose it, is truly frightening. As a university faculty member, I have participated in recent discussions about the state of affairs on campuses. I realized that under martial law, I too could be imprisoned," she said.

Under Park Chung-hee's military dictatorship in the 1960s "countless individuals were tortured and killed," she said. In May 1980, the junta of Chun Doo-hwan massacred well over 200 civilians when the army was sent into the city of Gwangju to put down protests.

"These deaths come to mind as I saw what was happening," Lee said. "I could not stand by and watch Korean democracy perish like this. It's not enough to say I'm angry or disappointed; a boiling rage was ignited within me. The people around me felt the same way too."

Protracted political turmoil for South Korea?

Many South Koreans believe the 90-second apology that Yoon made on Saturday was completely inadequate and was instead more of a call for his party to do whatever it could to avoid impeachment, suggesting that he does not intend to step down.

That decision may be out of his hands, however, as the PPP leader has indicated that the ruling party intends to force Yoon to resign for new elections, although it does appear that it would prefer to avoid an impeachment process.

Analysts agree that, for the foreseeable future, South Korean politics are likely to be in turmoil, with knock-on impacts on the economy, diplomacy and security concerns.

Leif-Eric Easley, professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, said the PPP leader and the prime minister, Han Duck-soo, were attempting to stabilize state affairs and "buy time to regroup before a possible early election to replace the president."

But the stakes in the in-fighting go well beyond South Korea, he added. "Leaders in Russia, China and especially North Korea are likely watching the political turmoil in South Korea with glee, sensing a geopolitical advantage," he said. "The stakes in Seoul extend beyond Korean democracy."

"They include whether a state defending the international order will continue to stand against Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine, and whether a key middle power in the Indo-Pacific will maintain its resolve to push back against economic coercion and advocate for human rights," he added.

"South Korea's trilateral cooperation with Japan and the United States to counter Pyongyang's nuclear and missile threats also hangs in the balance," Easley pointed out. "Now is not the time for Seoul to allow the profound misjudgment and personal ambitions of individual politicians to disorient its foreign policy."

South Korea's democracy is resilient

Yoon's public support rate has collapsed to a mere 7%, suggesting that for the majority of South Koreans, the priority is his removal from office.

"Currently, Seoul is bustling with demonstrations and wherever you go there is nothing but criticism of Yoon," said Lee. "While it was fortunate that the declaration of martial law was quickly cancelled, I couldn't believe that such a madman was the president."

"My immediate thought was that we need to quickly remove him from the presidency," she added. "With the people already turning their backs on him, it will be difficult for him to govern."

She is proud that South Korea's hard-won democracy has shown resilience to the tests it has endured.

"South Korea's democracy has become deeply entrenched and the events of this week confirm that a return to authoritarianism is highly unlikely," she said. "This realization offers great solace during the current crisis."

Edited by: Wesley Rahn