Protesters say South Korea’s martial law shows ‘how easily democracy can be threatened’

Seoul
CNN
—

Candlelight vigils and rallies were held Wednesday across South Korea, a nation outraged and frustrated by the president’s surprise declaration of martial law the night before demanding his resignation.

Outside the National Assembly chamber in the capital Seoul, hundreds of people gathered on the steps while inside, opposition parties sought to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol, whose six-hour martial law rattled the country and plunged Asia’s fourth-largest economy into political uncertainty.

Rally participants who spoke to CNN called Yoon’s move – the first imposition of martial law since South Korea’s transition to democracy in the late 1980s – “madness” and an “embarrassment.”

For Mi-rye, 64, the short-lived decree brought back dark memories of a more painful, authoritarian past marked by mass arrests and human rights abuses.

Unable to sleep, she traveled from her hometown of Paju in Gyeonggi Province, near the border with North Korea, to Seoul to “stay alert.”

After Army Gen. Chun Doo-hwan seized power in a coup and declared martial law in the 1980s, people lived under strict curfews and “anyone caught outside was sent to Samcheong re-education camp,” Mi-rye said.

“Even if you go outside to smoke, you can get arrested,” she said. “People walking on the streets without their ID were arrested. Plainclothes officers were stationed everywhere, waiting to catch people.”

Under his rule, opponents were arrested, universities were closed, political activities were banned, and the press was suppressed. Nearly 200 people were killed in 1980 when Chun sent in the military to crush pro-democracy student demonstrations.

Teacher Kyung-soo, 55, told CNN that he lives near the university in Gwangju, where many students lost their lives.

“I grew up in an environment full of fear,” he told CNN at another candlelit rally near Seoul City Hall on Wednesday evening. “Martial law was something I felt deeply and personally. Just yesterday I was afraid that there might be shots fired in the National Assembly.”

Kyung-soo, who also only wanted to give his first name, said his fear stems from “the actions of a government that seems out of touch with the voices of its people.”

Martial law “is not just a distant memory,” he said.

It’s a message that seems to have resonated even with those who only know democracy in South Korea.

Moon Seo-yeon is only 15 years old, but she was determined to attend the rallies in Seoul on Wednesday, saying Yoon’s declaration of martial law was a “mistake” and showed “total recklessness.”

For Moon, the martial law decree was the latest in a litany of grievances, and she believes no progress has been made during his time in office.

“During Yoon’s tenure, there were many significant events that were either poorly handled or not addressed at all. “It feels like there is no progress or, worse, regression,” she said.

“The response to the Halloween tragedy was slow, highlighting poor political leadership,” she said, referring to a crush that left more than 150 people dead.⁠

“I may not be old or very knowledgeable, but since the country is in a state of emergency, I want to contribute, even if it is just a small effort,” she said.

Now the question is what comes next as Yoon faces growing backlash from across the political spectrum, including within his own party.

The pressure on him to resign is growing. On Wednesday evening, demonstrators began marching through the city center demanding his arrest.

Six opposition parties have submitted a bill calling for his impeachment. A vote in the National Assembly is expected on Friday. Meanwhile, the main opposition party, the Democratic Party, said it had begun formalizing plans to charge treason against the president and the defense and interior secretaries.

On Thursday, Yoon accepted South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun’s resignation after calls for him to be removed from office. The Defense Ministry said South Korean Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Choi Byung-hyuk has been nominated as his successor.

Mi-rye, who traveled to Seoul to attend the rallies, said she would continue protesting until Yoon resigns.

⁠ “Although there is some relief following the lifting of martial law, there is still concern that it could be reimposed.”

“That’s why I’m here,” she said.