In South Korea, the dance of democracy

The ‘emergency martial law’ was also a moment of great vulnerability for the nation, and a reminder of the fragility of democracy.

The short life of the “emergency martial law” declared in South Korea on Tuesday by President Yoon Suk Yeol shows the country’s decades-old democracy remains robust. Yoon was forced to revoke the decree within hours after the National Assembly voted it down late at night; some parliamentarians even climbed over walls with the help of pro-democracy protestors and some broke barricades to enter the building and register their dissent. That said, it was also a moment of great vulnerability for the nation, and a reminder of the fragility of democracy at a time it has eroded significantly in many corners of the world.

Protesters against South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol march towards the presidential office during a demonstration in Seoul, South Korea, on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. Photographer: Jean Chung/Bloomberg (Bloomberg)

Yoon said his decision was predicated on the need to fight off the threat of “North Korea’s communist forces” and “eliminate anti-State forces”, though the actual backdrop was of an embattled President facing serious allegations of corruption and misgovernance and declining popularity. Yoon’s example should underscore the nature of the rhetoric used to stoke the insecurities of a population, with solely political aims in mind. Fortunately, at least for a certain demographic, the painful memories of South Korea’s military rule, before the country became a parliamentary democracy in 1987, are still fresh. So, though North Korea remains a threat, pro-democracy protestors took to the streets in major cities and peacefully let the military, acting under Yoon’s orders, know that their freedom will not yield.

South Korea’s transition to parliamentary democracy was the result of a long struggle by citizens. Recording impressive economic growth since, South Korea, through imprints of its soft power and economic heft in other nations, reinforced the democratic paradigm. That it returned from the brink should both be a warning and encouragement for the global community.