South Korea’s democracy held after a 6-hour power play. What does it say for democracies elsewhere? | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en" dir="ltr" xmlns:og="http://ogp.me/ns#" xmlns:mixi="http://mixi-platform.com/ns#" xmlns:fb="http://www.facebook.com/2008/fbml"> <head prefix="og: http://ogp.me/ns# fb: http://ogp.me/ns/fb# article: http://ogp.me/ns/article#"> <meta charset="UTF-8">  <script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); })(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K38TZKV');</script>  <meta http-equiv="content-language" content="en" /> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" /> <meta http-equiv="content-style-type" content="text/css" /> <meta http-equiv="content-script-type" content="text/javascript" /> <meta name="TITLE" content="South Korea’s democracy held after a 6-hour power play. What does it say for democracies elsewhere? | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis" /> <meta name="SHORTTITLE" content="South Korea…" /> <link rel="alternate" media="only screen and (max-width: 640px)" href="http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15542122" /> <title>South Korea’s democracy held after a 6-hour power play. What does it say for democracies elsewhere? | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis</title> <meta name="description" content="SEOUL--In an era of rising authoritarianism, at the heels of a six-hour martial law decree that unfolded while many South Koreans slept, something noteworthy happened: Democracy held." lang="en" /> <meta name="keywords" content="Asia & World,Korean Peninsula,Asahi Shimbun,Japan,news" /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15542122" />  <meta property="fb:app_id" content="225172280833257" /> <meta property="og:locale" content="en_US" /> <meta property="og:title" content="South Korea’s democracy held after a 6-hour power play. What does it say for democracies elsewhere? | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15542122" />  <meta property="og:image" content="https://p.potaufeu.asahi.com/6a16-p/picture/29054634/34984b09d214a6c08c75e2ad5875efa4.jpg" /> <meta property="og:image:width" content="1200" /> <meta property="og:image:height" content="630" /> <meta property="og:site_name" content="The Asahi Shimbun" /> <meta property="og:type" content="article" /> <meta property="og:description" content="SEOUL--In an era of rising authoritarianism, at the heels of a six-hour martial law decree that unfolded while many South Koreans slept, something noteworthy happened: Democracy held." /> <meta property="article:publisher" content="https://www.facebook.com/AJW.Asahi" />  <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary" /> <meta name="twitter:site" content="@ajwasahi" /> <meta name="twitter:title" content="South Korea’s democracy held after a 6-hour power play. What does it say for democracies elsewhere? | The Asahi Shimbun Asia & Japan Watch" /> <meta name="twitter:description" content="SEOUL--In an era of rising authoritarianism, at the heels of a six-hour martial law decree that unfolded while many South Koreans slept, something noteworthy happened: Democracy held." /> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://p.potaufeu.asahi.com/6a16-p/picture/29054634/34984b09d214a6c08c75e2ad5875efa4.jpg" /> <meta name="twitter:url" content="https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15542122?ref=twnews" />  <link rel="shortcut icon" type="image/x-icon" href="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/ajw/favicon.ico" /> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/ajw/logo_icon.png" /> <meta name="msapplication-TileImage" content="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/ajw/logo_icon.png" /> <meta name="msapplication-TileColor" content="#B90000" /> <meta name="RELEASE_DATE" content="2024-12-09"/> <meta name="googlebot" content="unavailable_after: 31-Dec-9999 23:59:00 JST" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/ajw/css/en-asahi-common2016.css" media="screen,print"/> <script type="text/javascript" src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/ajw/js/en-asahi-common2016.js" charset="UTF-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/ajw/js/jquery-1.8.3.min.utf8.js" charset="UTF-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/ajw/js/en-asahi-site2016.js" charset="UTF-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/ajw/js/en-asahi-header2016.js" charset="UTF-8"></script>  <script async='async' src='https://www.googletagservices.com/tag/js/gpt.js'></script> <script> var googletag = googletag || {}; googletag.cmd = googletag.cmd || []; </script>  <script type="text/javascript"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="//www.asahicom.jp/ad/js/pc/ajw.js"></script> </head> <body>   <div id="Header">   <noscript><iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-K38TZKV" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>   <p class="hide"><a href="#MainInner">Skip to content</a></p> <noscript><p>Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check <a href="/ajw/help/policy.html">the site policy</a> for more information.</p></noscript>   <div id="HeaderInner"> <h1 class="SiteLogoTop"> <a href="/ajw/"> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/ajw/css/images/en_logo@2x.png" width="342" height="29" alt="The Asahi Shimbun | Asia & Japan Watch"> </a> </h1>  <div class="UtilityNav"> <ul> <li class="Search"> <form action="/ajw/search/results/" method="get"> <fieldset> <input type="text" name="keywords" value="" class="SearchKeywords"> <input type="submit" value="Search" class="SearchSubmit"> </fieldset> </form> </li> </ul> </div>   <div class="SocialNav"> <ul> <li class="Twitter"><a href="http://twitter.com/ajwasahi" title="Twitter" target="_blank">Twitter</a></li> <li class="Facebook"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/AJW.Asahi" title="Facebook" target="_blank">Facebook</a></li> </ul> </div>   <div id="LangNav"> <a href="javascript:void(0)">Language</a> <div id="LangDD" style="display:none;"> <div class="Arrow"></div><div class="Arrow_bg"></div> <div class="Frame"> <ul id="LangChange"> <li class="ChangeBtn"><a href="https://www.asahi.com/">日本語</a></li> <li class="ChangeBtn ChangeBtnActive">English</li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>  </div>   <div id="GlobalNav">  <div id="GlobalNavInner">  <div class="MainNav"> <ul class="Nav"> <li> <a href="/ajw/"><span>HOME</span></a> </li> <li class="WhatsNew"> <a href="/ajw/new/">What’s New</a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/national_report/">National Report</a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/politics/">Politics</a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/business/">Business</a> </li> <li class="HasSubNav"><a href="/ajw/asia_world/">Asia & World</a> <ul class="SubNav"> <li><a href="/ajw/asia_world/china/">China</a></li> <li><a href="/ajw/asia_world/korean_peninsula/">Korean Peninsula</a></li> <li><a href="/ajw/asia_world/around_asia/">Around Asia</a></li> <li><a href="/ajw/asia_world/world/">World</a></li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/sci_tech/">Sci & Tech</a> </li> <li class="HasSubNav"><a href="/ajw/culture/">Culture</a> <ul class="SubNav"> <li><a href="/ajw/culture/style/">Style</a></li> <li><a href="/ajw/culture/food/">Food</a></li> <li><a href="/ajw/culture/movies/">Movies</a></li> <li><a href="/ajw/culture/manga_anime/">Manga & Anime</a></li> <li><a href="/ajw/culture/people/">People</a></li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/travel/">Travel</a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/sports/">Sports</a> </li> <li class="HasSubNav"><a href="/ajw/opinion/">Opinion</a> <ul class="SubNav"> <li><a href="/ajw/opinion/editorial/">Editorial</a></li> <li><a href="/ajw/opinion/vox/">Vox Populi</a></li> <li><a href="/ajw/opinion/views/">Views</a></li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/special/">Special</a> </li> </ul> </div>  </div>  </div>  </div>    <div id="Contents"> <div id="ContentsInner"> <div id="Main">  <script> var ASAHI_TSUNAMI = new XMLHttpRequest(); ASAHI_TSUNAMI.open('GET', '/wave/tsunami/alert/emergency_box.html', true); ASAHI_TSUNAMI.onload = function() { if ((ASAHI_TSUNAMI.status >= 200 && ASAHI_TSUNAMI.status < 400) && ASAHI_TSUNAMI.responseText.match(/tsunami\.html/)) { EventTsunami(); } } function EventTsunami(){ var txt_tsunami = document.getElementById("tsunami_read_text"); txt_tsunami.innerHTML = ASAHI_TSUNAMI.responseText; Function(document.getElementById("TsunamiScript").innerHTML)(); var ele = document.querySelector("#InsideTsunami .SlideBtn"); var btn = ele.querySelector("span b"); var sld = document.querySelector("#InsideTsunami .TsunamiSlide"); ele.addEventListener("click",function(){ if(sld.style.display=="none"){ btn.classList.remove("Click"); btn.innerHTML = "閉じる"; sld.style.display = "block"; }else{ btn.classList.add("Click"); btn.innerHTML = "詳しく"; sld.style.display = "none"; } }); } ASAHI_TSUNAMI.send(); </script> <div id="tsunami_read_text"></div>    <script> var ASAHI_QUAKE = new XMLHttpRequest(); ASAHI_QUAKE.open('GET', '/earthquake/news/esi/max_emergency_box1_utf8.htm', true); ASAHI_QUAKE.onload = function() { if ((ASAHI_QUAKE.status >= 200 && ASAHI_QUAKE.status < 400) && ASAHI_QUAKE.responseText.match(/max_earthquakealert\.html/)) { var txt_quake = document.getElementById("earthquake_read_text"); txt_quake.innerHTML = ASAHI_QUAKE.responseText; } } ASAHI_QUAKE.send(); </script> <div id="earthquake_read_text"></div>   <style type="text/css"> #InsideTsunami { margin: 10px auto 10px; padding: 0; border-bottom: 0px; width: 660px; position: relative; } #Contents #InsideTsunami { margin: 0 auto 10px !important; padding: 0; border-bottom: 1px solid #DCDCD5; width: 660px; position: relative; } #InsideTsunami .linklayer { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; background: #fff; opacity: 0; } #InsideTsunami .linklayer:hover { opacity: 0.2; } #InsideTsunami .TsunamiNewsInner { margin: 0px auto 10px; border-radius: 4px; padding: 0; width: 100%; -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box; } #InsideTsunami .TsunamiNewsInner:hover { opacity: 0.75; cursor: pointer !important; } #InsideTsunami .TsunamiTitle { display: none; } #InsideTsunami .TsunamiNav { padding: 0; display: block; } #InsideTsunami .TsunamiNav strong { display: block; margin: 0; float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.25; padding: 10.5px 4px 10.5px 8px; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; width: 574px; } #InsideTsunami .TsunamiNav:after { visibility: hidden; display: block; font-size: 0; content: " "; clear: both; height: 0; } .TsunamiLevel-3 .TsunamiNewsInner { border: 2px solid #a101dd; } .TsunamiLevel-3 .TsunamiNav { background-color: #a101dd; color: #fff; } .TsunamiLevel-3 .TsunamiNav strong { color: #FFF; } .TsunamiLevel-2 .TsunamiNewsInner { border: 2px solid #fc4831; } .TsunamiLevel-2 .TsunamiNav { background-color: #fc4831; color: #fff; } .TsunamiLevel-2 .TsunamiNav strong { color: #FFF; } .TsunamiLevel-1 .TsunamiNewsInner { border: 2px solid #f9e100; } .TsunamiLevel-1 .TsunamiNav { background-color: #f9e100; color: #222; } .TsunamiLevel-1 .TsunamiNav strong { color: #222; } #InsideTsunami .TsunamiNewsInner .TsunamiSlide { width: 656px; } #InsideTsunami .TsunamiNewsInner .TsunamiSlide .TsunamiList { text-align: center; margin: 2px 0; } #InsideTsunami .TsunamiNewsInner .TsunamiSlide .TsunamiList:after { display: block; content: ""; clear: both; } #InsideTsunami .TsunamiNewsInner .TsunamiSlide .TsunamiList .Tsunami-Image { display: none; } #InsideTsunami .TsunamiNewsInner .TsunamiSlide .TsunamiList .TsunamiLink { width: 300px; margin: 12px auto 8px; display: inline-block; } #InsideTsunami .TsunamiNewsInner .TsunamiSlide .TsunamiList .TsunamiLink:after { display: block; content: ""; clear: both; } #InsideTsunami .TsunamiNewsInner .TsunamiSlide .TsunamiList h1 { line-height: 2.25em; float: left; width: 90px; } #InsideTsunami .TsunamiNewsInner .TsunamiSlide .TsunamiList .Tsunami_button { float: right; width: 130px; text-align: center; padding: 8px 24px; min-height: 19px; font-weight: bold; background-color: #B90000; color: #FFF; border-radius: 4px; font-size: 90%; } #InsideTsunami .TsunamiNewsInner .TsunamiSlide .Tsunami_button:hover { text-decoration: none !important; } #InsideTsunami .TsunamiNewsInner .TsunamiSlide .Tsunami-ImageOn .TsunamiImage { display: inline; margin: 0; float: left !important; width: 410px; padding: 8px 0 8px 8px; } #InsideTsunami .TsunamiNewsInner .TsunamiSlide .Tsunami-ImageOn .TsunamiImage img { width: 410px !important; margin: 0 !important; } #InsideTsunami .TsunamiNewsInner .TsunamiSlide .Tsunami-ImageOn .TsunamiLink { width: 236px; padding: 12.5% 0; } #InsideTsunami .TsunamiNewsInner .TsunamiSlide .Tsunami-ImageOn h1 { text-align: center; width: 236px; float: none; } #InsideTsunami .TsunamiNewsInner .TsunamiSlide .Tsunami-ImageOn .Tsunami_button { text-align: center; width: 130px; float: none; margin: 12px 30px; } #InsideTsunami .kaigyo { display: none; } #InsideTsunami a.SlideBtn { position: absolute; left: 590px; top: 7.5px; z-index: 9999; } #InsideTsunami a.SlideBtn:hover { text-decoration: none !important; } #InsideTsunami a.SlideBtn span { display: block; padding: 4px 6px; width: 50px; border-radius: 2px; } #InsideTsunami a.SlideBtn span b { background: none !important; font-size: 70% !important; } #InsideTsunami a.SlideBtn span b:after { width: 0px; height: 0px; border: 5px solid; content: ""; display: block; float: right; position: relative; top: 6px; left: 2px; } #InsideTsunami a.SlideBtn:hover span b { color: #FFF !important; cursor: pointer; } #InsideTsunami a.SlideBtn span b.Click:after { width: 0px; height: 0px; border: 5px solid; content: ""; display: block; float: right; position: relative; top: 0px; left: 2px; } .TsunamiLevel-3 a.SlideBtn span b, .TsunamiLevel-2 a.SlideBtn span b { color: #222 !important; } .TsunamiLevel-3 a.SlideBtn span b:after { border-color: #a101dd transparent transparent transparent !important; } .TsunamiLevel-3 a.SlideBtn span b.Click:after { border-color: transparent transparent #a101dd transparent !important; } .TsunamiLevel-2 a.SlideBtn span b:after { border-color: #fc4831 transparent transparent transparent !important; } .TsunamiLevel-2 a.SlideBtn span b.Click:after { border-color: transparent transparent #fc4831 transparent !important; } .TsunamiLevel-1 a.SlideBtn span { background: #FFF; } .TsunamiLevel-1 a.SlideBtn span b { color: #1E1E17 !important; } .TsunamiLevel-1 a.SlideBtn span b:after { border-color: #f9e100 transparent transparent transparent !important; } .TsunamiLevel-1 a.SlideBtn span b.Click:after { border-color: transparent transparent #f9e100 transparent !important; } .TsunamiLevel-3 a.SlideBtn span, .TsunamiLevel-2 a.SlideBtn span { background: #FFF; } .TsunamiLevel-3 a.SlideBtn:hover span { background: #4a0b67; } .TsunamiLevel-2 a.SlideBtn:hover span { background: #751c11; } .TsunamiLevel-1 a.SlideBtn:hover span { background: #b5a300; } .TsunamiLevel-3 a.SlideBtn:hover span b:after, .TsunamiLevel-2 a.SlideBtn:hover span b:after, .TsunamiLevel-1 a.SlideBtn:hover span b:after { border-color: #fff transparent transparent transparent !important; } .TsunamiLevel-3 a.SlideBtn:hover span b.Click:after, .TsunamiLevel-2 a.SlideBtn:hover span b.Click:after, .TsunamiLevel-1 a.SlideBtn:hover span b.Click:after { border-color: transparent transparent #fff transparent !important; } </style>  <div class="BreadCrumb"> <p class="Gnavi"><a href="/ajw/">The Asahi Shimbun</a></p><span>></span> <p class="Genre"><a href="/ajw/asia_world/">Asia & World</a></p><span>></span> <p class="Category"><a href="/ajw/asia_world/korean_peninsula/">Korean Peninsula</a></p><span>></span> <p>article</p> <ul class="contentsTag"> </ul> </div>   <div id="MainInner">  <div class="ArticleTitle">  <div class="Title"> <h1> South Korea’s democracy held after a 6-hour power play. What does it say for democracies elsewhere? </h1> <p class="EnArticleName">THE ASSOCIATED PRESS</p> <p class="EnLastUpdated">December 9, 2024 at 11:42 JST</p> </div>  </div>   <script src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/ajw/js/en-socialbutton2016.js?1214f940d1720c0e0e362cfcacfe0f64"></script> <div class="SnsUtilityArea"> <div class="SnsBtn"> <ul> <li class="Facebook"> <span class="SnsName"><a href="javascript:void(0);">Share</a></span> </li> <li class="Twitter"> <span class="SnsName"><a href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15542122&text=South Korea’s democracy held after a 6-hour power play. What does it say for democracies elsewhere?：The Asahi Shimbun" target="_blank" id="twshare">Tweet</a></span> <span class="count"><a href="http://twitter.com/search?q=https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15542122" target="_blank" id="twlink">list</a></span> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="UtilityBtn"> <ul> <li class="Print"><span class="ServiceName"><a onclick="openPrintArticle();return false;" href="javascript:void(0);">Print</a></span></li> </ul> </div> </div>   <div class="ArticleBody"> <div class="EnImagesWidthMod"> <div class="Image"> <p> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/6a16-p/picture/29054634/34984b09d214a6c08c75e2ad5875efa4.jpg" width="600" alt="Photo/Illutration" oncontextmenu="return false" onmousedown="return false" onselectstart="return false" /> <em class="Caption">A man watches TV screens showing the broadcast of South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol's announcement at a Yongsan Electronic store in Seoul on Dec. 7. (AP Photo)</em> </p> </div> </div>  <div class="ArticleText">  <p><span></span><span>SEOUL--In an era of rising authoritarianism, at the heels of a six-hour martial law decree that unfolded while many South Koreans slept, something noteworthy happened: Democracy held.</span></p> <p><span>The past week in Seoul, officials and academics warn, is what a threat to democracy looks like in 2024. It’s a democratically-elected president declaring martial law over the nation he leads, asserting sweeping powers to prevent opposition demonstrations, ban political parties and control the media. It’s members of the military attempting to block lawmakers from exercising their power to vote on cancelling the power grab.</span></p> <p><span>And here’s what it took to defeat President Yoon Suk-yeol ’s lurch toward government by force:</span></p> <p><span>Unified popular support for democracy. Legislators storming the National Assembly past midnight, live-streaming themselves climbing over fences. A politician grabbing at a soldier’s rifle and yelling “Aren’t you ashamed?” until he retreated. And finally, decisively, Parliament assembling a quorum and voting unanimously to cancel martial law.</span></p> <p><span>It was a victory for a hard-won democracy — and for the idea that checks and balances among branches of government must work to counteract each other’s ambitions, as the American founders wrote in the Federalist Papers in 1788.</span></p> <p><span>But as the drama played out in Seoul, the scaffolding of democracy rattled around the world.</span></p> <p><span>In other countries, the grab for power might have worked. Other would-be authoritarians might have been better prepared than Yoon.</span></p> <p><span>In deeply polarized societies — the United States, for example, where Republicans are staunchly loyal to president-elect Donald Trump — there might not have been decisive support from the public or the opposition. The military might have used force. And the members of the legislature might not have voted as one to snuff out the attempted takeover.</span></p> <p><span>“President Yoon’s attempt to declare martial law reveals the fragility of the rule of law in divided societies, especially those with governments in which the chief executive cannot be easily dismissed by the legislature,” said Tom Pepinsky, a government professor at Cornell University who studies backsliding among democracies in Southeast Asia.</span></p> <p><span>Notably, he said in an email, “No members of President Yoon’s own party were willing to defend his actions in public.”</span></p> <p><span>Nevertheless, Yoon’s surprise attempt to impose martial law revealed both the fragility and resilience of the country’s democratic system.</span></p> <p><span>Within three hours of his stunning announcement to impose military rule — claiming the opposition was “paralyzing” state affairs — 190 lawmakers voted to cancel his actions. In so doing, they demonstrated the strength of the country’s democratic checks and balances.</span></p> <p><span>Yoon’s authoritarian push, carried out by hundreds of heavily armed troops with Blackhawk helicopters and armored vehicles sent to the National Assembly, harked back to an era of dictatorial presidents. The country’s democratic transition in the late 1980s came after years of massive protests by millions that eventually overcame violent suppressions by military rulers.</span></p> <p><span>Civilian presence was again crucial in shaping the events following Yoon’s late night television announcement on Tuesday. Thousands of people flocked to the National Assembly, shouting slogans for martial law to be lifted and Yoon to step down from power. There were no reports of violent clashes as troops and police officers.</span></p> <p><span>“We restored democracy without having a single casualty this time,” said Seol Dong-hoon, a sociology professor at South Korea’s Jeonbuk National University.</span></p> <p><span>It’s virtually impossible for any leader of a democracy to pull off a transition toward martial law without a public willing to support it, or at least tolerate it.</span></p> <p><span>Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election, attracted millions of views as he began live-streaming his journey to the National Assembly, pleading for people to converge to the parliament to help lawmakers get inside. The shaky footage later shows him exiting his car climbing over a fence to get onto the grounds.</span></p> <p><span>The vote at the National Assembly was also broadcast live on the YouTube channel of Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik, who also had to scale a fence to get in.</span></p> <p><span>Yoon’s sense of crisis clearly wasn’t shared by the public, whose opinions, Seol said, were shaped predominantly by the shocking videos broadcast to their devices.</span></p> <p><span>“Ultimately, democracy is all about moving public opinion,” he said. “What was most crucial in this case was that everything was broadcast live on smartphones, YouTube and countless other media.”</span></p> <p><span>Opposition lawmakers are now pushing to remove Yoon from office, saying he failed to meet the constitutional requirement that martial law should only be considered in wartime or a comparable severe crisis — and that he unlawfully deployed troops to the National Assembly.</span></p> <p><span>On Saturday, an opposition-led impeachment motion failed after most lawmakers from Yoon’s party boycotted the vote. Yet the president’s troubles persist: The vote’s defeat is expected to intensify nationwide protests and deepen South Korea’s political turmoil, with opposition parties preparing to introduce another impeachment motion when parliament reconvenes next Wednesday.</span></p> <p><span>Han Sang-hie, a law professor at Seoul’s Konkuk University, said the martial law debacle highlights what he sees as the most crucial flaw of South Korea’s democracy: that it places too much power in the hands of the president, which is easily abused and often goes unchecked.</span></p> <p><span>Political scientists call what happened in South Korea an “autogolpe” — a “self-coup” — defined as one led by incumbent leaders themselves, in which an executive takes or sponsors illegal actions against others in the government. Yoon qualifies because he used troops to try to shut down South Korea’s legislature.</span></p> <p><span>Self-coups are increasing, with a third of the 46 since 1945 occurring in the past decade, according to a study by researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and Penn State University. About 80% of self-coups succeed, they reported.</span></p> <p><span>In 2021, a power grab by Tunisian President Kais Saied raised similar concerns around the world after the country designed a democracy from scratch and won a Nobel Peace Prize after a largely bloodless revolution.</span></p> <p><span>In the United States, some have expressed worry about similar situations arising during the second administration of Donald Trump. He has vowed, after all, to shake some of democracy’s pillars. He’s mused that he would be justified if he decided to pursue “the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution.” That’s in contrast to the oath of office he took in 2017, and will again next year, to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution” as best he can.</span></p> <p><span>Nearly half of voters in the Nov. 5 election, which Trump won, said they were “very concerned” that another Trump presidency would bring the U.S. closer to authoritarianism, according to AP Votecast survey data.</span></p> <p><span>Asked before a live audience on Fox News Channel in 2023 to assure Americans that he would not abuse power or use the presidency to seek retribution against anyone, Trump replied, “except for day one,” when he’ll close the border and “drill, drill, drill.”</span></p> <p><span>After that, Trump said, “I’m not a dictator.”</span></p> <div id="gtx-trans" style="position: absolute; left: 82px; top: 51px;"> <div class="gtx-trans-icon"></div> </div>  </div>  <ul class="contentsTag"> </ul>  <div class="related_news"> <h2>Related News</h2> <ul> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15535666"> <figure> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/c7d8-p/picture/29041958/439756d98a59f746c0250e07295d60d3.jpg" /> </figure> <div class="article_title"> <p class="title">South Korea lifts president's martial law decree after lawmakers reject military rule</p> <span class="date">December 4, 2024</span> </div> </a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15535956"> <figure> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/ffc0-p/picture/29042504/17167b0b0e701dd1be7e78eef9691941.jpg" /> </figure> <div class="article_title"> <p class="title">South Korea’s opposition party urges Yoon to resign or face impeachment over martial law decree</p> <span class="date">December 4, 2024</span> </div> </a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15537402"> <figure> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/84f9-p/picture/29045294/cdefbdd5c1bbcfa2e73dd44ed48102d7.jpg" /> </figure> <div class="article_title"> <p class="title">Defense chief replaced, parliament is poised to impeach Yoon</p> <span class="date">December 5, 2024</span> </div> </a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15540845"> <figure> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/d1c9-p/picture/29051474/f9eefa2967b9218140f38f8b70023bf2.jpg" /> </figure> <div class="article_title"> <p class="title">South Korean president apologizes, saying he won't shirk responsibility</p> <span class="date">December 7, 2024</span> </div> </a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15540632"> <figure> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/b2da-p/picture/29051064/ea1a4f94dd9450d48b6b6b597bccfe13.jpg" /> </figure> <div class="article_title"> <p class="title">What to know about martial law and the effort to impeach South Korea's president</p> <span class="date">December 7, 2024</span> </div> </a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15538947"> <figure> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/8ddc-p/picture/29047983/555ba91d45b6af7fc274be43bb08e50e.jpg" /> </figure> <div class="article_title"> <p class="title">S. Korea’s Yoon faces impeachment vote, investigation for treason</p> <span class="date">December 6, 2024</span> </div> </a> </li> </ul> </div>  </div>  <div class="SnsUtilityArea"> <div class="SnsBtn"> <ul> <li class="Facebook"> <span class="SnsName"><a href="javascript:void(0);">Share</a></span> </li> <li class="Twitter"> <span class="SnsName"><a href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15542122&text=South Korea’s democracy held after a 6-hour power play. What does it say for democracies elsewhere?：The Asahi Shimbun" target="_blank" id="twshare">Tweet</a></span> <span class="count"><a href="http://twitter.com/search?q=https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15542122" target="_blank" id="twlink">list</a></span> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="UtilityBtn"> <ul> <li class="Print"><span class="ServiceName"><a onclick="openPrintArticle();return false;" href="javascript:void(0);">Print</a></span></li> </ul> </div> </div>     <div class="Section"> <ul class="BannerBlock BannerBlockCol2">  <li><p class="Image"><span>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1518226592045-0' style='height:250px; width:300px;'> <script> googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1518226592045-0'); }); </script> </div> </span></p></li>   <li><p class="Image"><span>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1518226653270-0' style='height:250px; width:300px;'> <script> googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1518226653270-0'); }); </script> </div> </span></p></li>  </ul> </div>   </div>  </div> <div id="Sub">  <div id="SubInner">   <div class="Section"> <div class="Ad">   <div id='div-gpt-ad-1518226518415-0'> <script> googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1518226518415-0'); }); </script> </div>  </div> </div>   <div class="Section"> <div id="EnTrendingNow"> <div class="Title"> <h2>Trending Now</h2> </div> <div class="rankingTabArea"> <input id="Last24hours" type="radio" name="tab_item" checked=""> <label class="tab_item" for="Last24hours">Last 24 hours</label> <input id="Last7days" type="radio" name="tab_item"> <label class="tab_item" for="Last7days">Last 7 days</label> <div class="tab_content" id="Last24hours_content"> <ol class="ranking"> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15542124"> <figure> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/7cc7-p/picture/29054673/9b325d87dc653f140bc8cfc30c0058a9_300px.jpg" alt="Photo/Illutration" oncontextmenu="return false" onmousedown="return false" onselectstart="return false" loading="lazy"> </figure> <span class="headline">Agency says Miho Nakayama died in ‘accident’ while bathing</span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15508599"> <figure> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/9d1c-p/picture/29053320/abe3b2af1e803e742674651aca1535a1_300px.jpg" alt="Photo/Illutration" oncontextmenu="return false" onmousedown="return false" onselectstart="return false" loading="lazy"> </figure> <span class="headline">The lowdown on the high-pitched tone adopted by Japanese women</span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15542837"> <figure> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/1156-p/picture/29054666/1b1fc8770f2a6c497cf9ef73892e86ae_300px.jpg" alt="Photo/Illutration" oncontextmenu="return false" onmousedown="return false" onselectstart="return false" loading="lazy"> </figure> <span class="headline">Wild monkeys of Nagano relax in luxurious hot springs</span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15542427"> <figure> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/5cab-p/picture/29054676/fb3e6415ba265a4d29b21856fe650d29_300px.jpg" alt="Photo/Illutration" oncontextmenu="return false" onmousedown="return false" onselectstart="return false" loading="lazy"> </figure> <span class="headline">4 held over death of abused worker ordered to stand on train tracks</span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15517639"> <figure> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/f871-p/picture/29048478/d1f90c6845b34c313a95d8939aa162cd_300px.jpg" alt="Photo/Illutration" oncontextmenu="return false" onmousedown="return false" onselectstart="return false" loading="lazy"> </figure> <span class="headline">Christian relic found in Oita likely legacy of famous warlord</span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15544177"> <figure> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/200f-p/picture/29058354/39c7e18c04284cad1536f83e5cd4e94c_300px.jpg" alt="Photo/Illutration" oncontextmenu="return false" onmousedown="return false" onselectstart="return false" loading="lazy"> </figure> <span class="headline">Keidanren releases Tokura’s final proposal for 2040 goals </span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15543691"> <figure> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/2085-p/picture/29057626/e308ce0cfb3ef8377411ae471eeafdfc_300px.jpg" alt="Photo/Illutration" oncontextmenu="return false" onmousedown="return false" onselectstart="return false" loading="lazy"> </figure> <span class="headline">Atomic bomb survivor takes swipe at Putin’s nuclear threats</span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15543502"> <figure> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/a068-p/picture/29058086/9ebd27334c22432ae7cbe7a2fb706233_300px.jpg" alt="Photo/Illutration" oncontextmenu="return false" onmousedown="return false" onselectstart="return false" loading="lazy"> </figure> <span class="headline">VOX POPULI: May Assad’s ousting mean peace, for Sama and all Syrians</span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15542634"> <figure> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/0420-p/picture/29055647/b03b1cb4a561c30073652538402cff8c_300px.jpg" alt="Photo/Illutration" oncontextmenu="return false" onmousedown="return false" onselectstart="return false" loading="lazy"> </figure> <span class="headline">Former teacher gets 9 years in prison for sexual assault of a pupil</span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15543644"> <figure> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/8307-p/picture/29054707/c905715a05584c5b73968d7752e63369_300px.jpg" alt="Photo/Illutration" oncontextmenu="return false" onmousedown="return false" onselectstart="return false" loading="lazy"> </figure> <span class="headline">EDITORIAL: S. Korea needs to uncover truth behind failed martial law bid</span> </a> </li> </ol> </div> <div class="tab_content" id="Last7days_content"> <ol class="ranking"> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15540641"> <figure> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/83ac-p/picture/29051468/47f06c8d7ee6d86d7c9f41cf7318207a_300px.jpg" alt="Photo/Illutration" oncontextmenu="return false" onmousedown="return false" onselectstart="return false" loading="lazy"> </figure> <span class="headline">Japanese actress, singer Miho Nakayama found dead at home</span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15542124"> <figure> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/7cc7-p/picture/29054673/9b325d87dc653f140bc8cfc30c0058a9_300px.jpg" alt="Photo/Illutration" oncontextmenu="return false" onmousedown="return false" onselectstart="return false" loading="lazy"> </figure> <span class="headline">Agency says Miho Nakayama died in ‘accident’ while bathing</span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15492972"> <figure> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/4a04-p/picture/29007906/453d3710eaecc220e8b4fccc81c4cd9b_300px.jpg" alt="Photo/Illutration" oncontextmenu="return false" onmousedown="return false" onselectstart="return false" loading="lazy"> </figure> <span class="headline">Women in 20s the largest group among suicide attempt patients in Japan</span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15539325"> <figure> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/dceb-p/picture/29048444/a4f46110e8cc9714755fca6de1f8c33a_300px.jpg" alt="Photo/Illutration" oncontextmenu="return false" onmousedown="return false" onselectstart="return false" loading="lazy"> </figure> <span class="headline">Saudi diplomat accused of groping woman flees Japan</span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15508599"> <figure> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/9d1c-p/picture/29053320/abe3b2af1e803e742674651aca1535a1_300px.jpg" alt="Photo/Illutration" oncontextmenu="return false" onmousedown="return false" onselectstart="return false" loading="lazy"> </figure> <span class="headline">The lowdown on the high-pitched tone adopted by Japanese women</span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15532088"> <figure> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/a2c1-p/picture/29034547/b42d945a7567a81d710f78199c79fb31_300px.jpg" alt="Photo/Illutration" oncontextmenu="return false" onmousedown="return false" onselectstart="return false" loading="lazy"> </figure> <span class="headline">Raw whale meat topping for ice cream at Chiba farmers’ market </span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15536082"> <figure> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/f7b4-p/picture/29042235/b392a6fb5c82e95f716f4d1c19da6621_300px.jpg" alt="Photo/Illutration" oncontextmenu="return false" onmousedown="return false" onselectstart="return false" loading="lazy"> </figure> <span class="headline">Netflix Japan to produce more original anime in diverse genres</span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15534524"> <figure> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/9186-p/picture/29039012/adf5cf290b1daab18c1e993adeae069c_300px.jpg" alt="Photo/Illutration" oncontextmenu="return false" onmousedown="return false" onselectstart="return false" loading="lazy"> </figure> <span class="headline">Funai Electric sold for 1 yen before filing for bankruptcy</span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15533078"> <figure> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/8b5f-p/picture/29036199/b9097dc4e688bebe344dcf4fca8c1c7a_300px.jpg" alt="Photo/Illutration" oncontextmenu="return false" onmousedown="return false" onselectstart="return false" loading="lazy"> </figure> <span class="headline">Homeless people evicted from encampment at Osaka ‘symbol’</span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15534793"> <figure> <img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/c4ca-p/picture/29039020/c38920b97fe9263430f6d3c33bd25972_300px.jpg" alt="Photo/Illutration" oncontextmenu="return false" onmousedown="return false" onselectstart="return false" loading="lazy"> </figure> <span class="headline">Japan to offer defense equipment to four nations </span> </a> </li> </ol> </div> </div> </div> </div>  <div class="Section"> 　<a href="/ajw/tag/11038358/"> 　　<img src="//public.potaufeu.asahi.com/ajw/images/banner/2024election_300x150.jpg" alt="2024 Lower House election"> </a> </div> <div class="Section"> <a href="https://www.asahi.com/special/hakamadaletters/en/"> <img src="//public.potaufeu.asahi.com/ajw/images/banner/2024iwaoyori_en-300_150.jpg" alt="Letters from Death Row"> </a> </div>   <div class="Section Sub_VideosList"> <div class="Title"> <h2><a href="/ajw/video/">Videos</a></h2> </div> <ul> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15543691" class="Width"> <figure> <img src="https://www.asahicom.jp/video/images/thumb/thumb-6365779573112.jpg" alt onerror="this.style.display='none'"/> </figure> <p class="vi_articleTitle"> Atomic bomb survivor takes swipe at Putin’s nuclear threats </p> <p class="date"> December 10, 2024 </p> </a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15542837" class="Width"> <figure> <img src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/o-64H7Ym9vI/mqdefault.jpg" alt onerror="this.style.display='none'"/> </figure> <p class="vi_articleTitle"> Wild monkeys of Nagano relax in luxurious hot springs </p> <p class="date"> December 9, 2024 </p> </a> </li> <li> <a href="/ajw/articles/15542365" class="Width"> <figure> <img src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/GwRu-SFe-P8/mqdefault.jpg" alt onerror="this.style.display='none'"/> </figure> <p class="vi_articleTitle"> Opposition vows to seek Yoon’s impeachment until he resigns </p> <p class="date"> December 9, 2024 </p> </a> </li> </ul> </div>  <div class="Section"> <div class="Title"><h2>Recommended</h2></div> <ul class="ListBlock" id="EnRecommended"> <li> <p class="Image"> <a href="http://www.asahi.com/hibakusha/english/" class=""> <span><img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/85db-p/picture/27383821/1eb57ff204b7880550a35cd9eff2b84d.jpg" alt="Photo" height="65"></span> </a> </p> <dl> <dt><a href="http://www.asahi.com/hibakusha/english/">Memories of Hiroshima and Nagasaki</a></dt> <dd><p>Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors.</p></dd> </dl> </li> <li> <p class="Image"> <a href="https://www.asahi.com/ajw/tag/11038361/" class=""> <span><img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/1823-p/picture/28885739/e48c7314d37a7d5fbe13ce8826705aa7.jpg" alt="Photo" height="65"></span> </a> </p> <dl> <dt><a href="https://www.asahi.com/ajw/tag/11038361/">YOASOBI</a></dt> <dd><p>A peek through the music industry’s curtain at the producers who harnessed social media to help their idols go global.</p></dd> </dl> </li> <li> <p class="Image"> <a href="https://www.asahi.com/ajw/tag/11036986/" class=""> <span><img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/b0a3-p/picture/26812467/da82bba8ce177a752a1dd83ee1a38491.jpg" alt="Photo" height="65"></span> </a> </p> <dl> <dt><a href="https://www.asahi.com/ajw/tag/11036986/">Taste of Life</a></dt> <dd><p>Cooking experts, chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life.</p></dd> </dl> </li> <li> <p class="Image"> <a href="https://www.asahi.com/ajw/tag/11037055/" class=""> <span><img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/9e20-p/picture/28252734/541860dfaa346e951f12716eb2643ad7.jpg" alt="Photo" height="65"></span> </a> </p> <dl> <dt><a href="https://www.asahi.com/ajw/tag/11037055/">Diplomatic Documents</a></dt> <dd><p>A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry</p></dd> </dl> </li> <li> <p class="Image"> <a href="https://www.asahi.com/ajw/tag/11037095/" class=""> <span><img src="//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/d4c6-p/picture/28252540/a8a8c8ce9c1c502b685bd996ee06a8a5.jpg" alt="Photo" height="65"></span> </a> </p> <dl> <dt><a href="https://www.asahi.com/ajw/tag/11037095/">Memories of Nikkei Americans</a></dt> <dd><p>A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II</p></dd> </dl> </li> </ul> </div>  <div class="Section"> <div class="PlainMod"> <span class="SnsName"> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=ajw%20Asahi%20Shimbun" id="twshare" style=" background: url(//p.potaufeu.asahi.com/ajw/css/images/icon_sns-twitter.gif) no-repeat 5px 4px #2696dd; padding-left: 11px; float: left; display: block; padding: 0; width: 290px; padding-left: 10px; text-align: center; line-height: 22px; -moz-border-radius: 4px; -webkit-border-radius: 4px; border-radius: 4px; font-size: 14px; color: #fff;"> Asahi Shimbun on Twitter </a> </span> </div> </div>  <div class="Section"> <div class="Title"><h2>Learning English</h2></div> <ul class="EnListSmall"> <li><a href="http://www.asahi.com/english/weekly/">Asahi Weekly</a></li> </ul> </div>  <div class="Section InHouseNews"> <div class="TitleSmall"> <p><a href="/ajw/inhouse_news/">In-house News and Messages</a></p> </div> </div>  <div class="Section"> <div class="TitleSmall"><h3>Link</h3></div> <ul class="EnListSmall"> <li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/" target="_blank" class="Blank">The New York Times</a></li> </ul> </div>   <div class="Section"> <div class="Ad">   <div id='div-gpt-ad-1518226547288-0'> <script> googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1518226547288-0'); }); </script> </div>  </div> </div>  </div>  </div>  </div>  </div>   <div id="EnFooter">  <div id="ToTop">  <div id="ToTopInner"> <p><a href="#Header">BACK TO TOP</a></p> </div>  </div>   <div id="EnFooterInner">  <div class="AboutSite"> <ul> <li class="Fst"><a href="/ajw/help/about.html">About Us</a></li> <li><a href="/ajw/help/policy.html">Site Policy</a></li> <li><a href="/ajw/help/privacy.html">Privacy</a></li> <li><a href="/ajw/help/copyright.html">Copyright</a></li> <li><a href="/ajw/help/privacy.html#Contact">Contact Us</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.asahi.com/corporate/privacypolicy/asadigi" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Transmission of user information to external service providers（利用者情報の外部送信）</a></li> </ul>  <div class="Copyright"> <p>Copyright © The Asahi Shimbun Company. All rights reserved. No reproduction or republication without written permission.</p> </div>  </div>  </div>  </div>   <div id="fb-root"></div> <script> window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init({ appId : '137119773101625', xfbml : true, version : 'v7.0' }); }; (function(d, s, id){ var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) {return;} js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/ja_JP/sdk.js"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); </script>    </body> </html>

CINXE.COM

South Korea’s democracy held after a 6-hour power play. What does it say for democracies elsewhere? | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis