Protests Against President Yoon One Pager

Graphic by Sachi Yamane

The Korean peninsula, nestled between bigger and stronger countries, has faced the threat of invasion and occupation on multiple occasions throughout its history. It has been razed by the wrath of war and divided along political and military boundaries that still exist today. While its northern neighbor cannot say the same, South Korea surmounted these obstacles and cemented itself as an economically and politically developed country. Its citizens enjoy free and fair elections, along with constitutional rights safeguarded by law. However, President Yoon Suk Yeol’s recent declaration of martial law has left many afraid for their freedom.

President Yoon declared martial law on Dec. 3, 2024, on a televised broadcast at 10 p.m. He accused his political opponents in the Democratic Party (DPK) of collaborating with “North Korean communists” to undermine the country. The DPK has a supermajority in the National Assembly and has been fiercely critical of Yoon thus far in his presidency. As part of his declaration, the gathering of the National Assembly was prohibited. Yoon also reportedly ordered the arrest of many top political officials, including Lee Jae-Myung, the DPK party leader, and Han Dong-hoon, the leader of Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP).

Immediately following the declaration, lawmakers gathered at the National Assembly to cast a vote to reverse the decision. Armed forces and police attempted to barricade the entrance to the building, but many were able to enter by climbing over fences and barricades. With 190 of 300 lawmakers present, the National Assembly voted unanimously to lift the martial law declaration.

Following this crisis, many have called for President Yoon’s impeachment. They view Yoon’s declaration as a clear authoritarian overreach that is not rooted in reality. Yoon’s decision has been compared to previous leaders' declarations of martial law in the past; most notably, Chun Doo-hwan, the fifth president of South Korea, seizure of power in the 1979 December coup. His regime declared martial law and oversaw the suppression of the Gwangju Uprising that left more than 200 student activists dead.

Another perspective is the legality of Yoon’s decision. Under the Korean constitution, the president is allowed to declare martial law in wartime situations where national security may be threatened. There has not been any evidence of a serious North Korean plot against the South.

Ten days after his decision, Yoon was impeached by the National Assembly on Dec. 14. Following his impeachment, Yoon retreated to his presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan.

On Jan. 3, 2025, the first arrest attempt against President Yoon was planned by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO). Thousands of protesters demanded Yoon’s arrest, holding up signs and placards with messages such as “Arrest Yoon Suk-yeol now!” However, the police force and the CIO’s initial arrest attempt was unsuccessful due to presidential security guards and military troops allied to Yoon. Additionally, many of Yoon’s supporters also hindered the arrest attempt. 

In what can only be described as a disturbing trend, many of Yoon’s supporters have been embracing conspiracy theories perpetuated by far-right individuals and activists. Many of them accuse the DPK of being communist North Korean sympathizers. Others engage in election denial, questioning the legitimacy of the 2024 South Korean legislative election that retained the DPK majority. Yoon has supported many of these theories, even saying that he has been subscribing to many of his supporters on YouTube.

In the early morning of Jan. 15, a second arrest attempt was made by the CIO with support from the police. Yet again, Yoon’s supporters created a physical barricade to protect him. Eventually, the investigators and soldiers were able to break into Yoon’s compound. At 10 a.m., after a few hours of resistance, Yoon released a video to the internet guaranteeing his cooperation with the arrest officers. However, he and his legal team have contested the legality of the warrant.

President Yoon’s martial law declaration was truly a historic event that will be remembered for decades. Despite the presence of a loud minority supporting Yoon’s actions, many Korean citizens have successfully exercised their democratic rights to protest Yoon’s unconstitutional actions. These protesters’ resilience serves as an example to all citizens and countries on a global scope of the efforts necessary to preserve democracy.