What Is Happening in South Korea Right Now?
– A Democracy on Trial, and Citizens in Pain
In 2025, South Korea is facing a profound political crisis. A presidential impeachment, the silence of the Constitutional Court, citizens pouring into the streets… This is not just a case of political instability in a single country. It is a moment when the rights of citizens, the principle of justice, and the very foundation of democracy are under threat.
Presidential Impeachment – What Went Wrong?
President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was elected by a narrow margin, has steadily lost the public’s trust due to his authoritarian leadership style and continued controversies. Then, on the night of December 3, 2024, he suddenly declared martial law.
Martial law allows the military to take over government functions and severely restricts civil liberties. In modern Korean history, martial law has been declared multiple times—each time leading to the collapse of democracy and the loss of many innocent lives. One of the most tragic examples was the May 18 Democratic Uprising, when the Chun Doo-hwan military regime expanded martial law and massacred hundreds of citizens in Gwangju. For Koreans, martial law is not just an emergency measure—it is a symbol of state violence and a deeply traumatic memory.
This time was no different. Although Yoon’s martial law was lifted within hours thanks to the swift response of citizens and opposition lawmakers, the facts revealed afterward were shocking. It was found that the military had prepared thousands of body bags (“yeonghyeon bags”) before and after the declaration. This strongly indicates that the government was preparing for massive violence and bloodshed.
President Yoon is suspected of trying to use martial law to silence public opposition and suppress ongoing investigations into himself, his family, and his inner circle. This is widely seen as an act of rebellion against the Constitution—a collapse of the separation of powers and the rule of law. As a result, the National Assembly passed an impeachment motion against the president.
Why Is the Constitutional Court Delaying?
In South Korea, impeachment is finalized only by a ruling of the Constitutional Court. But despite months having passed since the case was submitted, the Court has yet to deliver a verdict—and recently, even the date for the ruling remains uncertain. There is growing concern that the judiciary is under political pressure or interference. Among the public, this prolonged silence has come to be known as a time when “justice has stopped.”
Citizens Take to the Streets
President Yoon’s remaining supporters have shrunk to a far-right minority. Some of them have attempted to storm the Constitutional Court and even committed arson, displaying extremist actions that threaten the very foundation of the rule of law.
In contrast, the vast majority of citizens are taking to the streets, public squares, and online platforms—peacefully, but resolutely raising their voices. They are seeing the shadow of a long-past tragedy return to these streets.
Conclusion: South Koreans Are Not Just Trying to Change Today
Looking back on Korean history, it is clear that the people of this land have long possessed a powerful sense of democratic awareness and resistance. Even in the late Joseon Dynasty, commoners resisted landlords and corrupt elites. In particular, the egalitarian philosophy of Donghak spread widely as a revolutionary vision of justice.
But that spirit was crushed by the Japanese invasion—aided by the betrayal of domestic elites who sided with the occupiers. After liberation, South Korea went through division imposed by foreign powers, military dictatorship, and authoritarian rule. During this time, a concentrated power structure held by the few only grew stronger. Korean society has yet to break free from the entrenched alliance between domestic power and foreign influence.
And now, once again, we are standing before that same old pattern repeating itself.
People know it all too well now. If this structure does not change, the future will never change either. That is why the people of South Korea are rising again—to break the long, distorted flow of history that has continued for centuries.
This is not just Korea’s story. It is the story of everyone who longs for true democracy. A nation where citizens are the rightful owners, a sovereign state free from foreign domination, a society where justice reaches its end—that is the universal right of all people.
📌 This article was written to amplify the voices of Korean citizens standing on that path. We have come a long way. And now, we refuse to retreat any further.
