South Koreans Block Authoritarian Power Grab
Seoul, South Korea, December 2024
In a shock move in early December 2024, President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea declared martial law – banning all political activities, gatherings, and essentially any act of opposition to the government. While President Yoon’s authoritarian leanings were not secret, the abruptness of this development caught many South Koreans off guard. Nevertheless, they did not let the benefit of surprise undercut their opposition.
Almost immediately after the announcement, people flooded to the National Assembly. This wasn’t just a show of activists; a lot of the protesters were ordinary people who left their homes at 10:30pm to show up and block military trucks. With their presence they were able to demonstrate the wide opposition to the authoritarian power grab and reveal to their fellow citizens, and the international community, the real dynamics at play. At the same time, the trade unions announced an indefinite general strike, politicians gathered to vote against martial law, and member’s of Yoon’s own party were condemning the move.
Only six hours later, the sheer force of popular pushback forced President Yoon to repeal the move. The reversal highlights the capacity of spontaneous mobilization, wide spread solidarity, and the power of coordinating across different pillars of society.