Dec 12, 2024 08:50 PM IST
With increasing calls for protests from trade unions, civil society organisations, and growing momentum in universities, it appears that South Korea is on the verge of yet another candlelight revolution
The dramatic turn of events in South Korea, initiated by President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law on December 3, has plunged the country into a political crisis. However, the martial law was lifted just hours later through a motion passed by the Korean National Assembly. Meanwhile, the opposition parties have already initiated the process of impeaching the president. The immediate and massive public outcry against the declaration could turn into renewed activism among citizens, reminiscent of past “candlelight revolutions”.
While South Korea is widely recognised for its vibrant popular culture, as well as its astonishing economic transformation, it is often forgotten that Korea is a young democracy. The horrific memories of decades of authoritarian and military dictatorship remain vivid in the collective consciousness and continue to shape public sentiment and Korean politics. South Korea’s democratic transformation in the late 1980s after decades of struggle, which subsequently propelled it to become one of Asia’s most dynamic democracies, serves as a source of pride for the South Korean people. The existence of a brutal dictatorship in North Korea further leads South Koreans to cherish their democratic achievements and remain vigilant in defending them.
The recent declaration of martial law is the first since South Korea’s democratic transition. However, since the establishment of the country in the late 1940s, there have been 16 instances of martial law being declared. The last was in 1980, by the country’s last military dictator, Chun Doo-hwan, leading to the Gwangju Uprising, a student-led movement that started in the southwestern city of Gwangju that was brutally suppressed. The incident is regarded as a dark moment in modern Korean history, but a pivotal event that paved the way for the country’s democratisation in 1987.
While the instrument of martial law remains available to the president in situations of national emergency, such as war, its invocation by President Yoon to confront the political challenges posed by the opposition party is widely viewed as unconstitutional and a gross abuse of political power. The martial law, which was a successful instrument for overcoming political opposition during the military rule, proved to be political suicide for President Yoon, reflecting political miscalculation and naivety. The dramatic sequence of events on the one hand serves as a reminder of the authoritarian impulses that can still surface within Korean body politic, but the political and popular pushback on the other hand highlights the resilience of its democracy.
President Yoon, representing the conservative People Power Party, served as the country’s Chief Prosecutor before assuming office in 2022. Since taking power, he has struggled to advance his political agenda amid ongoing confrontations with the opposition Democratic Party, which holds a majority in the National Assembly. Over the past two years, President Yoon’s approval ratings have plummeted, currently around 20 percent, due to several alleged scandals involving him and his wife, accusations of political favouritism, and occasional gaffes.
With mounting pressure from opposition parties and growing public outcry, the political future of President Yoon remains uncertain. Calls for his resignation persist, though he weathered an impeachment attempt on December 7, when the ruling party’s boycott prevented the opposition from securing the necessary quorum. The opposition, lacking the two-thirds majority to pass an impeachment motion in the National Assembly, will need several votes from the ruling party lawmakers. Passing an impeachment motion in the National Assembly is only the first step. Once passed, the constitutional court must review the case and determine whether the abuse of power warrants removal from office. Yoon’s position appears more vulnerable ahead of another impeachment motion scheduled later this week. The situation could shift dramatically as ruling party members, responding to growing public protests and anger, may support the impeachment, following the pattern of their recent break from party lines to vote for repealing martial law.
With increasing calls for protests from trade unions, civil society organisations, and growing momentum in universities, it appears that South Korea is on the verge of yet another candlelight revolution. The citizen-led peaceful political dissent, characterised by humorous props, banners, and candlelights to fight against injustice and political corruption have become a feature of Korean politics post-democratisation, often referred to euphemistically as candlelight movements or revolutions. This method of protest began in the 1990s and has been employed on several occasions since then, with the most recent significant movement occurring during the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye in 2016-2017. If it happens again, Yoon’s fate could potentially mirror that of several of his predecessors in the post-democratic era, many of whom ended up in jail, especially Park Geun-hye, who was impeached and sentenced to life in prison.
Jojin V John is director, Korea Centre,Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala.The views expressed are personal
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