A sudden declaration of martial law by an unpopular president late Tuesday night focused domestic and global attention on South Korean politics.
For the last two and half years, Korea’s pro-democratic opposition has decried President Yoon Suk-yeol’s “prosecutor dictatorship.” The term describes his use of the prosecution service to frustrate liberal and progressive politicians, media, and labor unions, accompanied by a revival of anti-communist rhetoric associated with past dictatorships.
For instance, in his August 2023 Liberation Day speech, Yoon declared that “the forces of communist totalitarianism have always disguised themselves as democracy activists, human rights advocates, or progressive activists while engaging in despicable and unethical tactics and false propaganda.” This kind of slander made many worry that Yoon’s regime would lead to a regression of democracy; to others, Yoon’s rants simply sounded like the tired mantra of old-school conservatives who routinely parrot the language of dictatorship era.
Then in September of this year, a press release by Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Min-seok alerted the public that Yoon was planning something. Kim noted that Yoon had designated many of his high-school classmates and close associates to prominent security positions in state administration and the military. He staffed the Ministry of Public Safety and Security, Ministry of National Defense, and Defense Counterintelligence Command with cronies. Kim warned that Yoon was likely preparing to create a situation in which he could easily declare martial law, using the pretext of a public security situation created by “pro–North Korean” forces.
To many people, this kind of premonition sounded shrill. But by early Wednesday, even Korea’s deeply conservative Choson Ilbo declared that “Kim Min-seok was right.” As the events unfolded Tuesday night, even the ruling conservative People Power Party chair Han…
Auteur: Jamie Doucette
