South Korea; Land of Coup, Impeachment, and Military Rule

The youth protesting against their president in the streets of Seoul today likely have no image of coups and military rule, perhaps having only read in history books that their country was once ruled by tyrants who silenced any dissent with the help of coups and military rule. The declaration of martial law by Yoon Suk-yeol may now lead to his own removal from power, with parliament members potentially impeaching him. This report reviews the coups, impeachments, and declarations of martial law in a country where military boots have long been at the heart of political developments. The Republic of Korea, or South Korea, was established in 1948 after the division of the Korean Peninsula into southern and northern parts. Syngman Rhee, a staunch anti-communist politician, was the first president of this country, beginning his rule with military governance. On November 14, 1948, Syngman Rhee, known as one of the most anti-communist politicians in the country, declared martial law in South Korea in response to communist uprisings on Jeju Island that resulted in the deaths of thousands. The government declared martial law and deployed the army and security forces, leading to one of the bloodiest crackdowns in South Korean history. Twelve years later, the president's dictatorship led to student protests against him, particularly in opposition to electoral fraud, and the military attempted to silence dissenters in a bloody crackdown. In April 1960, the president declared martial law under the pretext of restoring order in the country. However, Syngman Rhee, who had his image on the cover of Time magazine in 1953, ultimately had to step down from power. The first successful coup in South Korean history occurred just a year after Syngman Rhee's ousting, when an army officer named Park Chung-hee led thousands of soldiers to seize power in Seoul. This marked the beginning of 18 years of military rule under Park Chung-hee in South Korea. During those years, he repeatedly declared martial law, including in 1972, coinciding with constitutional reforms, to achieve his goals. The constitutional changes significantly increased presidential powers. The second coup in South Korean history occurred on December 12, 1979, when General Chun Doo-hwan seized power in a coup known as the 'creeping coup.' Initially, Park Chung-hee was assassinated, and then Choi Kyu-hah from the liberal anti-communist party took power, but he too was ousted in a military coup, leading to the declaration of martial law nationwide. Eventually, in the spring of 1980, Chun Doo-hwan took control. He ruled the country for eight years, suppressing many of his opponents. Chun Doo-hwan was forced to end martial law after eight years due to widespread public protests. Following this, political reforms were implemented, and democratic elections were held, marking the end of military rule in South Korea. Roh Moo-hyun, the then-president, was impeached in 2004, just a year after taking office. He, from the social liberal party, was impeached due to what was termed a failure to maintain political neutrality; however, the Constitutional Court later overturned the parliament's decision, allowing him to complete his five-year term successfully. Park Geun-hye, the daughter of the late military dictator Park Chung-hee, was impeached in 2017 after months of political instability, being removed from office for what was termed 'constitutional violations.' The Constitutional Court upheld her impeachment this time. Park was arrested that year on charges of financial corruption and sentenced to 20 years in prison, but she was pardoned four years later and released. During her rule, she visited Iran and met with Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader, while wearing a mandatory hijab. Yoon Suk-yeol, the current conservative president of South Korea, won the elections in 2021 and took office. He gained public favor by promising a tougher stance against the northern neighbor. However, just two years into his presidency, public opinion in South Korea has turned against him. Corruption cases, especially involving his family and associates, have significantly reduced Yoon's popularity. This issue, along with rising discontent from various sectors, including workers and doctors, led the opposition party to secure a majority in the parliamentary elections this spring. Since then, the situation for the South Korean president has become difficult, and challenges between the two branches of government have increased. The president's order to declare martial law, although it lasted only a few hours, continues to have repercussions, and it is likely that he may reach the end of his term before the current year concludes, marking another impeachment in South Korea's political history.