South Korea’s traumatic history of martial law inspires resistance

Koh Jae-hak you still recall vividly the moment men brutally shot a group of young people.

It was April 1960. Students had organized demonstrations demanding the resignation of Syngman Rhee, the authoritarian president. When Mr. Koh observed activists clashing with police outside a government building, he observed him peering out of the screen.

” There were marches from various institutions, and they all gathered in front … that’s when shots were fired”, the 87-year-old said. Weeks later, martial law was declared.

Although South Korea is frequently regarded as a relaxing example of politics in Asia, that wasn’t always the case. During its first four years of rule, this nation experienced 16 rounds of martial law.

It is because South Koreans value politics so highly as a hard-won straight. The declaration of martial law by President Yoon Suk-yeol this year, the first step in 45 years and under democratic concept, was also particularly triggering and sparked a sobering reaction.

Almost instantly, politicians jumped out of bed and rushed to the national legislature, clambering over gates to change martial law.

Thousands of regular people gathered to avenge troops who had been ordered to remove MPs.

Some men apparently dragged their feet into the crowd and entered the building as a result of their apparent unwillingness to follow their orders.

When Yoon declared martial law on Tuesday evening, he said it was necessary to get rid of “pro-North anti-state” forces. Some South Koreans who believed there was a real danger from the North first became confused by it.

But as they continued watching Yoon’s televised statement, some grew wary. He didn’t provide any details about how these troops were at work or who they were. The people came to the conclusion that Yoon was basically trying to crush his political adversaries because he had previously used similar language to describe the criticism that had been stymieing his reforms.

Leaders had also argued that imposing martial law on past times was needed to stabilise the nation and occasionally halt what they saw as North Korea’s admitted communist subversives.

They restricted the freedom of the press and action. Night lockdowns and arrests were frequent.

Aggressive altercations occasionally occurred, most notably in 1980, when then-President Chun Doo-hwan imposed martial law to protect student activists in Gwangju, a city in southern China. While the official death toll is 193, some experts believe there are plenty more, a terrible military assault was launched, and it has since been labeled a murder.

Following growing public force, South Korea finally embraced politics in 1988, when the country held its second free and fair national vote. But the preceding years had entirely and deeply shaped the world’s consciousness.

” Most Koreans have trauma, serious injury, about military law”, said Kelly Kim, 53, an climate activist. We don’t want to repeat the same thing over and over again.

Ms. Kim has little recollection of martial law and was a young child when it was last in effect. However, she shudders at the thought of it returning.

” The authorities would handle all the press, our normal routines. I’m working in civil society, but all our actions, like criticising the government, would not be feasible under the military rules. So that’s truly awful”.

The rights provided by politics have no just resulted in a flourishing civil society.

In the more than 35 years since that first political vote, South Korea’s innovative companies have flourished, with its tragedies, TV shows, music and literature becoming earth renowned. These innovative industries have viewed the country’s history through their own lenses, bringing the past to life for those who are too young to remember.

The nation has seen a profusion of television programs about its former dictator, which have portrayed events like the Gwangju revolt in popular culture.

Some were movies featuring South Korea’s biggest celebrities, such as next year’s 12.12 The Time, a historical drama starring favorite actor Hwang Jung-min. The film depicts the social unrest that occurred in 1979 as Park Chung-hee was killed by the execution.

” As soon as I saw the images ]of Yoon’s declaration of martial law], it reminded me of that movie… it made me question, are we about to repeat that history now”? said Marina Kang, a 37-year-old web developer.

” Korea’s got a wealth of visual representational works ]of that era ] in films and documentaries. Even though these works just provide indirect insight into the tragic past, it still makes me feel quite strongly that similar events should never occur again.

Among younger members, there is a sense of disbelief that it could have returned. They have been taught by their parents and older friends to dread martial law despite not knowing what it means.

” At first]when I heard Yoon’s announcement], I was excited at the thought of getting a day off from school. But that happiness was brief, and I was overwhelmed by the dread of everyday life collapsing. I don’t sleep”, said 15-year-old Kwon Hoo.

When he learned about the possibility of a punishment being imposed once more, he started swearing while watching the news,” My father was concerned that under martial law, he wouldn’t be able to stay out later even though his labor required him to.”

No all South Koreans have this perception of their history.

The majority of Koreans “regret the dictatorship of the post-war time” and” the vast majority of Koreans appreciate democracy,” according to Mason Richey, associate professor of foreign politicians at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul.

However, he continued,” the country is still divided on many fronts regarding the authoritarian past, particularly how justified some repressive measures were in order to stop communist subversion.”

A significant portion of the population, particularly older people, believe that martial law was required in the past to maintain balance and politics.

” Up then, it was a moment defined by intellectual battle between democracy and socialist socialism”, said Kang Hyo-san, 83. He was sitting next to his companion Mr Koh in a shop at Gwanghwamun, Seoul’s principal square and focal point for the state’s opposition gatherings.

When the martial intervened, the circumstance would stabilise because the opposing ideologies may cause conflicts, and it was a procedure to restore order and legitimately build completely democracy.

” Given the circumstances, we couldn’t help but see it favourably, “he said, adding that he felt each phase of fighting laws left the country in a more” advantageous “position. Martial law in South Korea” ultimately differed “from various countries, where it” wasn’t about killing people or foolish murder”, he insisted.

But this time, it’s unique. Both grannies felt that Yoon’s declaration of martial law was unethical”. Yet though we’ve experienced military law several times throughout our lives, this period there’s no explanation for its pronouncement,” said Mr Koh.

Like them, Ms Kim, the climate activist, was thankful Yoon did not succeed and politics prevailed in the end”. Because we fought so hard to get it, right? We don’t want to reduce it once.

” Without democracy and freedom of living, what is life”?