The Constitutional Court ended a long nightmare on Friday while the nation delivered a triumph of peaceful civic activism. Yet it is too early to fully celebrate the resilience of Korea’s democracy.
The unanimous court decision to uphold the impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol only marks the first step toward repairing the country’s wounded democracy and healing the scars from his audacious declaration of martial law last December. The president who embraced extreme right-wing conspiracy theories has left behind a sharply divided country.
Yoon’s fate was sealed just hours after his daring gambit to clear the way for his legislative agenda. When thousands of citizens descended on parliament and tried to help lawmakers enter their chambers to overturn the martial law decree, security forces displayed little desire to repel them. Unlike the nation’s military dictators decades ago, his authoritarian power grab would not be protected. The countdown on Yoon’s presidency thus began.
“The National Assembly was able to decide to demand the emergency martial law be lifted swiftly, thanks to the resistance of citizens and the reluctant execution of duties by the military and police,” said Moon Hyung-bae, the acting chief justice of the Constitutional Court. “Therefore, it does not influence the judgment on the seriousness of the defendant’s violation of law.”
This was not only a scathing rebuke to Yoon’s brazen insistence that “nothing happened” on the night of his short-lived martial law. It was also the top court’s solemn acknowledgement of the laudable roles of ordinary citizens, police officers and soldiers in a moment of crisis.
Yoon fiercely argued before the court that he intended the martial law to be an awakening for the public to the “tyranny” of the “pro-North, anti-state” opposition abusing their majority power to paralyze his administration. He made the absurd statement that he subverted liberal democracy to save it from the threats of communist sympathizers.
Yoon did not stay quiet while the court deliberated. He consistently instigated a small group of his staunch, right-wing supporters to join him to “fight to the end.” The group gradually swelled and grew increasingly radical and violent, emulating supporters of US President Donald Trump. They carried signs saying, “Stop the Steal” and “Make Korea Great Again.” A mob stormed a courthouse in protest of Yoon’s arrest, causing extensive damage.
Meanwhile, throngs of citizens held rallies on the streets throughout the long winter, demanding Yoon’s dismissal. They evoked memories of past military dictatorships and the brutality of state violence, which they believed -- mistakenly -- belonged to the bygone era.
Thus, Korea appeared to be joining an increasing number of countries undergoing civil intolerance and the dismantling of democratic institutional norms. The United States under Trump’s second presidency is the prime example.
Yet, the two sides displayed restraint when it was most needed. On Friday, while hundreds of thousands of citizens on both sides rallied at different locations around the capital and across the country, no notable incidents of violence were reported during the day and the ensuing weekend.
Still, it is premature to rejoice. Following Yoon’s formal dismissal from the presidency, the nation faces an imminent challenge -- an early election for his replacement to be held within two months.
The election will be a moment of truth for both the ruling and opposition parties to do much-needed soul-searching. They must think truthfully and honestly about how they can effectively govern through mature democratic leadership. It is not to relentlessly attack opponents. Leave that to other countries. They are stronger and richer but not wiser.
The top priority here will be bridging the chasms splitting our society along lines of ideology, age, gender and income, introducing urgent reforms to improve livelihoods and fixing stalled foreign relations. A constitutional amendment for enhanced checks and balances among different branches of government is vital in resetting the republic, torn apart by factional strife. No doubt how to cope with Trump’s tariff war will also be at the top of the new administration’s in-tray.
To fully distance itself from Yoon’s botched self-coup and remain in power, the ruling People Power Party must abandon the disgraced former president and his support base of ultra-right extremists. But the party remains supportive of Yoon and caters to extremist elements. This is a sure path to defeat. Given its two presidents ousted by impeachment one after another, the party should realize that it faces an existential crisis.
Moreover, there is no guarantee that Yoon will just go away politely. Considering his stubbornness and proven lack of integrity and moral awareness, he may try to meddle in the election to benefit in his criminal trial on insurrection charges. The multiple scandals surrounding his wife will also resurface in due time.
The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, despite its huge advantage, does not have a lower hurdle in the race. The party’s obvious standard-bearer, Rep. Lee Jae-myung, is beset with criminal charges. He needs to prove his claim that the accusations have been politically motivated by Yoon’s prosecutorial cohorts to eliminate him.
Whoever becomes the next president will need an extraordinary ability to upend the deeply entrenched politics of hate and revenge, thereby uniting the people and shaping a stable and prosperous future.
Lee Kyong-hee
Lee Kyong-hee is a former editor-in-chief of The Korea Herald. The views expressed here are the writer's own. -- Ed.
