How South Korea’s Democracy Saved Itself
The rapid response to Yoon’s martial law decree emerged from democratic practices embedded in society. Whether they can hold firm against rising polarization is another question.
Emissary harnesses Carnegie’s global scholarship to deliver incisive, nuanced analysis on the most pressing international affairs challenges.
The Asia Program in Washington studies disruptive security, governance, and technological risks that threaten peace, growth, and opportunity in the Asia-Pacific region, including a focus on China, Japan, and the Korean peninsula.
In roughly three hours last week, South Korean democracy faced and overcame an unprecedented political crisis. Around 10 p.m. on December 3, President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law, citing parliamentary gridlock and politically motivated investigations into his administration. The announcement surprised many in his immediate circle and astonished South Korean citizens—many even thought it was fake. Virtually no one familiar with contemporary South Korean politics could believe that a modern president would attempt martial law, particularly when there was no widespread violence or imminent threat to public safety.
The response was swift and decisive. By 1 a.m., Yoon’s attempted power grab had been thwarted by legislators who outmaneuvered military forces to ensure the National Assembly could vote to nullify his decree. But what truly demonstrates the strength of South Korean democracy is how rapidly civil society and politicians mobilized to protect democratic institutions, even in the middle of the night.
