14 votes

Making sense of South Korea’s senseless martial law declaration

5 comments

  1. [5]
    Advanced
    Link

    Abstract: On 3 December 2024, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, the first time such an order had been given since the country democratized in 1987. Koreans and international observers alike are puzzled as to why Yoon would take such a drastic measure. This article argues that competing visions of the history of South Korea’s military dictatorship era, in which the Korean right views the left as pro-North Korea and the left views the right as Japanese collaborators and an obstacle to democratization, contributed to an atmosphere in which cooperation among the two major political parties is near impossible. Within this setting, Yoon in particular worked closely with New Right academics who seek to justify previous military dictators and seemingly became taken with contemporary far-right election fraud conspiracies. As a result, Yoon came to see martial law as a legitimate means to advance his agenda.

    12 votes
    1. DefinitelyNotAFae
      Link Parent
      There is obviously and clearly a lot of regional and local history playing into this, but that summary sounded so familiar. One more proof America is not not exceptional, we're common as dirt.

      There is obviously and clearly a lot of regional and local history playing into this, but that summary sounded so familiar. One more proof America is not not exceptional, we're common as dirt.

      6 votes
    2. [3]
      Fiachra
      Link Parent
      The infiltration of conspiracy into mainstream politics is now fucking with the highest levels of government. Something's gotta give eventually.

      The infiltration of conspiracy into mainstream politics is now fucking with the highest levels of government. Something's gotta give eventually.

      5 votes
      1. [2]
        updawg
        Link Parent
        Maybe we oughtta declare martial law so we can root out the problem once and for all.

        Maybe we oughtta declare martial law so we can root out the problem once and for all.

        4 votes
        1. Fiachra
          Link Parent
          I'd consider it, but the organisation that's gang-stalking me would never allow that to happen.

          I'd consider it, but the organisation that's gang-stalking me would never allow that to happen.

          1 vote