Koreans refuse

[lokifan]

The last twenty-four hours in South Korea have been wild and terrible, but inspiring. I think a lot of the details are still-to-be-confirmed, but in case you missed it:


Yoon Suk-yeol, a right-wing president who I’d personally been aware of only for 2 things - being a corruption prosecutor who then quickly faced his own corruption allegations once in office, and vowing to shut down the Gender Equality Ministry - abruptly declared martial law. The army chief-of-staff publically supported it.

The response was immediate. The leader of the Opposition livestreamed himself saying this was an attempted coup, and asking “my fellow citizens, please come to the National Assembly.” The leader of Yoon’s own party called it “wrong” and swore to “stop it with the people.” Protestors turned out in massive numbers, of course, despite freezing weather, and trade unions were immediately threatening a general strike. The big conservative newspaper published against it. All of that is illegal under martial law - it allows for total control of the media, and bans protest, and allows for arrest without a warrant. But mass disobedience is powerful.

MPs came to Parliament to vote the martial law down, and had to force their way past armed police; MP Lee Jae-myung scaled a wall to get in. Soldiers forced entry into Parliament, smashing windows, to stop the vote. That’s the part I personally find the scariest - MPs were doing what they’re constitutionally allowed to do, and the military tried to stop them.

Parliamentary aides fought soldiers back with fire extinguishers, and set up barricades. Crowds forced their way past soldiers at the entrance, getting MPs inside; it was a battle for control of Parliament, to get to the vote, and the people won. 190 MPs made it in. They voted down martial law unanimously, less than two hours after it was declared.

It’s terrifying, and Yoon 100% fits the mould of ‘authoritarian yet stupid’ strongman. Like, it’s easy to say it was never gonna work - and I tend to think that’s true - but a lot of stupid strongmen have succeeded before. I’m just so impressed and inspired by the response. Immediate and unified and intense; people put themselves on the line to stop a military coup, and they succeeded. Obviously the aftershocks are for real - economic effects, impeachment, all of that - but Koreans shut that shit down in record time.

I don't want to treat this as purely a just-so-story for the west, but it's a great model to have and follow, more proof that it can be done. The ideal of refusing to obey in advance. Especially seeing the way Hungary has gone, the way Poland was going, what almost happened in Brazil and what still might happen in America - there are so many ways democracy is under attack. It’s scary to see this attempted after 45 years of democracy, but I hope the way this is seen and remembered in both South Korea and worldwide is a proud moment when a leader tried to impose authoritarianism and the people just refused. A republic, and they kept it.

Comments

[princessofgeeks]

This gives me hope. I am cheering for them.

[lokifan]

Right? The vote on his impeachment is tomorrow. I look forward to seeing him go down.

[kelly_chambliss]

An inspiring yet terrifying tale. Yoon Suk-yeol's actions are exactly the sort of thing I expect from Donald Trump, and I hope that the Korean people's response may serve as something of a warning to him and others like him.

[lokifan]

Totally agreed.

I'm hoping that what happened before the declaration - Yoon putting his old-boys-network of school friends into high-level military positions, and an MP had going public with concerns about Yoon declaring martial law and being dismissed - will be treated seriously as a warning, given Trump's Cabinet nominees. Sadly I doubt it. But the Korean people managed to defend democracy anyway, and that means Americans can too.

And like you said, I do think it can serve as a warning. Boris Johnson's most egregious anti-democratic shit, imo, wouldn't have happened without Trump being a role model in 'well actually if it's just a norm, not a law, you'd be amazed what you can get away with.' Bolsanaro and Trump likewise. So I do have real hope that Trump's allies (and others internationally) will note the warning.

Sending you so much love and solidarity from across the Atlantic!!!

[dolorosa_12]

There was a really good (if incredibly depressing) essay by Timothy Snyder about precisely these parallels, which he wrote in the wake of the Korean politicians', media, and people's robust response.

[spiralsheep]

Good for the South Koreans. Always better to be a shining example than a warning from history.

And beware upwardly-mobile social engineering of populations immediately adjacent to centres of political and financial power.

[lokifan]

Always better to be a shining example than a warning from history.

Right??? Amazing.

beware upwardly-mobile social engineering of populations immediately adjacent to centres of political and financial power.

You mean the old boys' network stuff with his high school buddies? Cos oof, yeah, as we fellow sufferers of Eton Prime Ministers know, it's no way to run a country.

[spiralsheep]

I was thinking more of the demographic difference between Washington D.C. and Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul (and various purpose-built parliaments constructed under the influence of leaders who didn't want ordingary people en masse near their centres of power).

But, yes, too many powerful personal appointees shouldn't be given to any individual in any power structure.

[lokifan]

Ah, I see that.

[dolorosa_12]

Georgia (the country) as well. The people there have been out protesting for a week (and show no signs of giving up), against their government, which was re-elected under murky circumstances and has been charging full steam ahead towards Russian-style totalitarianism. They’ve been met by armed riot police firing rubber bullets, water canons, and tear gas, and protesters who were arrested were beaten up.

Their president (a ceremonial role; she doesn’t belong to the governing party and is opposed to them) was out in the street, putting her body in between the riot police and the protesters.

All they want is to be a liberal democracy on the path to EU membership. They’ve never experienced it, and they are fighting so hard for something so many people in Western Europe enjoy without thinking.

[lokifan]

OMG, yes! Absolutely. Such heroes!

[digthewriter]

I only learned about the martial law (In South Korea) yesterday and did some research on it. Thank you so much for posting in such great detail. You've given me some hope. xo

[lokifan]

I'm glad <3 It's so important to know what's possible.

[sabotabby]

I will take my hope where I can get it, and this gives me hope.

[lokifan]

Same - it's so good to see. He's likely getting impeached tomorrow!

[enchanted_jae]

Huzzah!

[lokifan]

Exactly! The icon I'm using now felt a bit flippant for the post, but: HUZZAH!

[trepkos]

As a K-pop fan, I am ashamed that this passed me by. Yoon is still in charge though, I guess?

[lokifan]

Yep. But they're voting on whether to impeach him tomorrow, so that's probably about to change - a lot of his own party have been like "yep voting him down fuck him."

[trepkos]

Very cool.

[lunabee34]

This gives me such optimism for all the rest of the world that is going this way. Thanks for posting about this in such detail.

[lokifan]

You're welcome! It's so important to know about the optimistic stories amidst the doom and gloom. It can be done!