Article reprint source: PA Recommended Reading
Source: Niu Tanqin
No one expected that the situation in South Korea would change overnight and President Yoon Seok-yeol would overturn the table.
Late at night on December 3, he suddenly announced an emergency curfew in South Korea.
A friend asked: What is the concept of martial law?
It was a major event that involved the country's foundation. It involved the use of knives and guns, arresting and killing people. You know, the last time South Korea was under martial law was more than 40 years ago.
Subsequently, the South Korean army took to the streets, the citizens of Seoul protested, and the world was shocked. But in the middle of the night, news came from the South Korean parliament that the martial law order had been overturned by the parliament.
Everything was thrilling and South Korea stayed awake all night.
This is just my personal opinion, 10 key questions.
Question 1: What was the trigger?
Yoon Seok-yeol accused the emergency martial law of being a "last resort" for the sustainability of the Republic of Korea. He wanted to eradicate the "Northern forces" and maintain the "free constitutional order."
In other words, the opposition party is becoming too aggressive and he can no longer serve as president, so he has to fight a decisive battle!
But leaving these words aside, one factor that cannot be ignored is that Yoon Seok-yeol was willing to risk his life for the beauty he loved.
The trigger was the bribery case of his wife, Kim Gun-hee. Kim Gun-hee accepted Dior bags, and the opposition party was holding on tightly, and it was not ruled out that Kim Gun-hee would end up in jail. Yoon Seok-yeol could no longer tolerate it and directly declared martial law.
"For the woman I love, I declare myself the enemy of the whole world!"
Don’t think that such themes only appear in novels and on the screen.
Question 2: How does South Korea impose martial law?
South Korean Army General Park Ansu was appointed as the martial law commander. The martial law headquarters soon issued the martial law order No. 1: martial law will be implemented from 23:00 local time on the 3rd (22:00 Beijing time on the 3rd).
Article 1 of the Martial Law Order: The activities of the National Assembly and local councils, as well as all political activities including party activities, political associations, rallies, demonstrations, etc. are prohibited.
What's this?
In fact, it is similar to a coup d'état.
But it is really shocking that the president personally launched a coup.
More importantly, on one side are the president and military chiefs, and on the other side are the opposition party and the ruling party.
If the ruling party does not stand on the side of the president, things will get out of control.
Question three: What do the Korean people think?
Shock, shock, and shock.
The whole world knows that South Korea's internal strife is fierce, but it is still incredible that it is so intense that the president has to impose emergency martial law.
Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung said in a live broadcast: "Martial law is not a defense of the constitution, but a fatal blow to democracy."
A large number of people ignored the martial law order and braved the severe cold to protest and prevent the army from entering the Congress.
Question 4: What should the South Korean army do?
According to general martial law, the army would definitely be deployed, armed with live ammunition, and there would even be loud gunfire.
But South Korea is under martial law and the military is very cunning.
Military orders had to be executed, so special forces were dispatched; but if the law was enforced excessively, or even bloodshed occurred, they would definitely be held accountable in the future.
So, we see that Yoon Seok-yeol was very anxious, but the military was very relaxed and in fact was letting people go. A large number of lawmakers still broke into the National Assembly. The leader of the opposition party, Lee Jae-myung, even climbed over the wall and entered the National Assembly calmly while live streaming.
Very dramatic.
Question 5: What do the United States and the world think?
The US attitude is crucial.
The United States stated that it was "closely monitoring the situation." U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Campbell later further commented: "We are full of hope and expect that any political disputes can be resolved peacefully in accordance with the rule of law."
Looking at the international reaction, there is almost unanimous shock, condemnation, calls for restraint, and demands for dialogue to resolve the issue.
This one-sidedness has exacerbated the isolation of Yoon Seok-yeol’s government.
Question 6: What will the South Korean parliament do?
The National Assembly is a key force in South Korean politics.
Despite the obstruction, 190 members of Congress successfully entered the Congress, exceeding the required half of the Congress. The voting result was 190:0, and the martial law was lifted.
The opposition party and the ruling party, which had been fighting each other to the death in the past, put aside their past grudges, shook hands and made peace, and unanimously agreed that Yoon Seok-yeol's martial law order was invalid.
Being deserted by his friends and relatives, Yoon Seok-yeol completely lost.
In the early morning of the 4th, he had to withdraw the martial law troops and lift the martial law order.
Question seven: Were there any signs before this?
Actually, there are.
As early as September this year, the opposition party revealed that Yoon Seok-yeol was likely to impose martial law.
But this was considered completely absurd. The Chosun Ilbo at the time commented: Anyone with a little common sense would think this was nonsense. If the government declared martial law, no one in the army would obey it and the government would collapse almost immediately. Which government would commit such self-harming behavior?
Sorry, the president of South Korea will.
Question 8: What will happen to Yoon Seok-yeol?
Now is his most dangerous moment. He can either resign voluntarily and bow down; or be impeached and driven out of the presidential palace; or follow Roh Moo-hyun and close his eyes and bid farewell to life.
As long as he is alive, things will not end. The final result will definitely be that he will be thrown into prison.
All the scandals in the past must now be thoroughly investigated; the current emergency martial law will be completely liquidated.
Before becoming president, Yoon Seok-yeol, as prosecutor general, investigated other people; now, the new prosecutor is investigating him, and his entire family.
The price of impulsiveness.
Question 9: What do you think of the Blue House curse?
The whole world knows that the most dangerous job in South Korea is to be the president of South Korea.
Anyway, except for Moon Jae-in, no South Korean president has had a good ending. Some were imprisoned, some went into exile, and some committed suicide. This is called the "Blue House curse" by the outside world.
Therefore, after becoming the President of South Korea, Yoon Seok-yeol was determined not to live in the Blue House, and he took over the original Ministry of National Defense and turned it into the Presidential Palace.
The Blue House has changed, but the curse has not been broken.
Moreover, Yoon Seok-yeol's fate may be even worse. If I had known this, why would I have been the president of South Korea?
Question 10: What will happen to China-South Korea relations?
This is South Korea's internal affairs and has little impact on China-South Korea relations. We can just watch the show.
However, after Yoon Seok-yeol came to power, he was tough on the North, fawning on Japan, and following the United States closely. The China-South Korea relations, which had been good before, fell to the bottom.
Who would have thought that after all the trouble he had, he would end up like this.
You see him building a tall building, you see him entertaining guests, and then you see his building collapse.
God is watching what you do!
Finally, let me say a few words of emotion. This was a historic night for South Korea. We saw a man risk his life for his beloved, a live broadcast of climbing over the wall to enter the National Assembly, the ruling and opposition parties opposing the president together, and the flowers falling helplessly. We should also see the president being shackled and sent to prison...
It took less than three hours from the time the president issued the martial law order to the time it was repealed by Congress.
But the fate of many people has changed completely.
No wonder Korean dramas are so exciting, because the reality in Korea is even more exciting!
Yoon Seok-yeol ah Yoon Seok-yeol.