South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has apologized for declaring martial law. He even announced that no such order would ever be given later. But the people of the country could not forgive him. Yun faces impeachment after the imposition of martial law, which was swiftly repealed by the National Assembly on Tuesday night. This law has been enacted many times before in South Korea and there is a long-standing trauma in the minds of the public. The British media BBC published an analytical report on the imposition of martial law in the country and the reaction of the people.
In response to the president's speech, Han Dong-hun, leader of his ruling People's Power Party (PPP), told reporters that it was no longer possible for Yun to carry out his normal duties. 'His early resignation is inevitable'.
In a brief televised address to the nation, Yun apologized, saying 'I am deeply saddened and sincerely apologize to the bereaved people. I will not shirk any legal or political responsibility regarding the declaration of martial law.'
Many thought the president would announce his resignation in his first address to the nation after declaring martial law. But he did not hint at anything that disappointed them. Yun did not comment on the impeachment, though he said he would leave the task of stabilizing the situation to his ruling party.
On Saturday, the opposition demanded Yun's impeachment. It needs at least a two-thirds vote in parliament's 300-seat National Assembly to pass. Meanwhile, Yun's party has a total of 108 members in parliament. That means at least eight members of Yun's party would have to vote in favor of the motion for his impeachment.
Public reaction to the president's apology
Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung expressed disappointment at President Yoon's comments on Friday. He said the president's announcement will further fuel public anger and people will begin to feel betrayed.
Lee also said that he will do his best to oust the president. According to him, 'the existence of the president is the biggest risk for South Korea now.'
Not only politicians, common people are also angry with Yun's activities. Young Sunsil, 50, a seafood vendor in Seoul's Namdaemun Market, told the BBC he was scared when the president declared martial law and found it unbelievable.
He said, 'I have lost confidence in Yun as president. I no longer consider him our president. We have to fight till the end. We cannot allow him to remain in the position of president.'
Han Jungmo, a shopper at the same market, said Yun's apology was not enough. “He must resign voluntarily or if he refuses to resign, he must be impeached.”
According to him, the President has lost public trust. He said, 'It will be very disappointing if he wants to stay on as president by force. Because I think, only the declaration of martial law is not the only misdeed of this president.
South Korea was plunged into political turmoil after President Yoon declared martial law late on Tuesday. He then referred to 'anti-state forces' and threats from North Korea. But it soon becomes crystal clear that he has taken such a step not because of any external threat, but because of his own internal political problems.
Some lawmakers jumped over the security fence, bypassing security forces, to appear in parliament to overturn President Yun's decree.
Yun withdrew the announcement six hours after members of parliament voted to withdraw it. However, many feared that he might try to issue a second decree. Some lawmakers were already preparing to repeal the declaration before the National Assembly.
Even before the establishment of military rule, Yun was lagging behind in popularity ratings in the country. Allegations of corruption and an opposition-run legislature made him an ineffective leader.
History of South Korea's military regime
Koh Jae-hak can still vividly remember how soldiers brutally shot a group of young women before his eyes.
The time was April 1960. The students started protesting to demand the resignation of the then dictatorial president Syngman Rhee. At that time, 87-year-old Koh He Huck was working in a government building. Looking out of the window, he saw police clashing with protesters. He said, 'Students of different universities gathered together in front of the building. And that's when they were fired upon.'
A few days after the incident, martial law was imposed in the country.
Currently, South Korea is seen as a symbol of a peaceful democracy in Asia. But the situation in the country was not always like this. It is a country that has seen 16 martial laws in its first 40 years of existence. Most of the time it was ruled by autocratic leaders. And this is precisely why South Koreans see democracy as a hard-won right. This week, when President Yun declared martial law for the first time in the country's 45-year history, again at a time when the country is under democratic rule, it caused an immediate reaction across the country and renewed anxiety.
As soon as the announcement was made, lawmakers rushed out of the house to the National Assembly to repeal it. Hundreds of ordinary people gathered in the streets to stop the army. The army was ordered to evict the MPs. However, it is believed that some soldiers did not want to follow such orders of the government. There were also reports that they played no role in evacuating the protesters and barring entry into the building.
When declaring martial law on Tuesday night, Yun said it was “necessary to eliminate pro-North Korean forces.”
There was confusion among South Koreans in the early days of the announcement. They thought there really was a threat from North Korea.
But when they saw Yun's announcement on television, many had their doubts. Because, at this time, he did not prove any such power and did not explain who they were.
Since Yun had previously used the same language to explain his political opponents, it didn't take long for the general public to realize that he actually did so much to defeat political enemies.
Earlier, whenever martial law was imposed, the leaders gave the same justification that it was being done for the stability of the country. It has often been claimed that such measures have been taken to suppress North Korean communist criminals.
They destroyed the freedom of media and movement of people in the country. Night curfews and arrests of people were common. Conflicts often happened then. The events of 1980 are particularly noteworthy.
That year, students were protesting for democracy in the southern city of Guangzhou. To suppress them, martial law was extended by the then president Chan Du-hwan. A brutal military crackdown was then launched on the protesters, which was later characterized as a massacre. The official death toll is 193, but experts claim that hundreds more died.
Finally, due to public pressure, South Korea held its first free and fair presidential election in 1988. Through this, the country was established as a democratic state.
deep trauma
The experience of the last few decades has made the entire nation permanently and deeply aware of these issues. Kelly Kim, a 53-year-old environmental activist, said: 'Most Koreans have trauma, deep trauma, about martial law. We don't want the same thing to happen again and again.'
Kim was very young when martial law was last imposed in South Korea and has no recollection of it. Still, the thought of martial law returning made him shudder. Under military rule, Kim said, 'the government will control all the media, control our normal activities. As representatives of civil society, our main task is to criticize the government, which is not possible under martial law. And it's really scary.'
A living depiction of past history
Freedom through democracy has not only given rise to a thriving civil society but, in the more than 35 years since those first democratic elections, South Korea's creative industries have flourished.
Currently, South Korean dramas, TV shows, music and literature have gained worldwide fame. Creative industries have looked at the country's past in their own perspective.
These creative mediums bring South Korea's past history alive to a new generation. The dictatorial regime in the country has produced shows about events such as the Gwangju protests. Some of these historical shows are very popular, starring South Korean Bagha Bagha stars.
Young citizens fear that the past situation is going to return again. Although they don't know what life is like under martial law. They are afraid of martial law knowing from their parents and elders.
Kwon Hu, a 15-year-old school student, said, 'When I first heard Yun's announcement, I was quite happy at first, to get a day off from school. But that joy didn't last long. Whenever I feel that my daily normal life will be disrupted, I get scared. I couldn't sleep.'
Kwon added, 'My father was worried about it, he couldn't stay out at night under martial law. Although he has to stay outside for work. Whenever he hears the threat of another curfew, he starts cursing.'
Some have also spoken in favor of martial law
However, not all South Koreans think of the country's past in this way. Mason Ritchie, assistant professor of international politics at Hankuk University, said, 'A large portion of Koreans value democracy highly and regret the post-war dictatorship.'
He said, 'The country is still divided over the various repressive measures of the autocratic past. The question remains as to the extent to which repressive measures were justified, particularly to prevent communist insurgency.'
A significant number of people, especially the elderly, believe that martial law was necessary in the past for stability and democracy.
Sitting next to his friend Koh at a cafe in Gwanghwamun was 83-year-old Kang Hyo-san. It is Seoul's main square and the center of the city's protest rallies. He said, 'There was a period that was defined as an ideological war between democracy and communist socialism'.
Opposing ideologies then clashed and the situation stabilized whenever the army intervened. It was a process of restoring order so that democracy could be properly established. Kang was saying, 'But the situation was such that we had no choice but to look at it positively.'
He feels that 'every martial law episode' has moved the country to a 'more favorable' position.
South Korea's martial law, however, differs from that of other countries. Martial law in the country meant 'there was no killing or unnecessary conflict'. But this time is different. Both of these elderly people think that President Yun's declaration of martial law is unacceptable.
Koh said, “Although we have seen martial law many times in our lifetime, this time there was no justification behind his declaration of martial law.”
Kim, an environmentalist like them, is glad that Yun did not succeed and that democracy finally prevailed. Kim said, 'Because we fought hard to get democracy, right? We don't want to lose it again.'
He further said, 'What is life without democracy and freedom of life?'
