Dec. 18, 2024
How to Punish Yoon: The Reckoning for a
Leader Who Tried to Overturn South Korea
In a shocking display of authoritarian
ambition, President Yoon Seok-yul plunged South Korea into chaos by illegal declaring
martial law without justification. This illegal and unconstitutional power
grab, devoid of any genuine national emergency or wartime necessity,
underscores Yoon's disdain for democratic norms and his willingness to
dismantle South Korea's hard-earned democratic foundation. Yoon’s actions
reveal a leader who cannot tolerate the opposition party’s overwhelming
majority—a majority that has served as a bulwark against his destructive
agenda.
South Korea now faces a grim reality: its
president, a former chief prosecutor, has turned the nation into a legal and
political hellscape. Yoon has absurdly claimed that his December 3rd actions
were acts of “bona fide” service to the country. This, despite the fact that
his top military generals, key architects of the illegal martial law, are
already imprisoned for inciting civil war and rebellion. Shielded by a ring of
secret guards, Yoon resists summonses from legal authorities, presenting
himself as a de facto untouchable. His refusal to comply with the rule of law
has exacerbated the turmoil, leaving South Korea in what feels like an extended
state of civil war.
A Divided Assembly Reflecting a Nation
on Edge
The National Assembly narrowly passed Yoon’s
impeachment with a mere four-vote margin, exposing the ruling People Power
Party’s complicity in his authoritarianism. This razor-thin victory lays bare
the desperate grip on power that Yoon’s supporters refuse to relinquish, even
as the nation’s democratic fabric unravels. Their refusal to hold Yoon
accountable signals a betrayal of the South Korean people, who face growing
instability and disorder under his regime.
This paralysis in governance—an impeachment
that barely passes, a leader who refuses to step down, and a legislature at war
with itself—has left South Korea teetering on the brink. The specter of violent
conflict looms ominously, as Yoon’s defiance threatens to provoke bloodshed
akin to scenes from Hollywood depictions of political collapse, like Civil
War. Without decisive action, South Korea risks descending further into
chaos, jeopardizing its future as a democratic state.
The Romanian Solution: A Desperate but
Necessary Precedent
History
provides a chilling but instructive precedent: the swift and decisive removal
of Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu
in 1989. As outlined in my September column, “The Desperate Gambit of a
Failing Leader: Yoon Seok-yul’s Path to Martial Law and Potential Downfall (https://hellskorea.blogspot.com/2024/09/column-desperate-gambit-of-failing.html)”,
the Romanian military acted decisively. Ceausescu and his wife were
arrested, tried by a military tribunal, sentenced to death, and executed within
days. This rapid response prevented prolonged violence and restored order to a
country that had been teetering on the edge of collapse.
For South Korea, this “Romanian method”
may be the only viable solution to end the ongoing crisis. The nation cannot
afford to prolong its state of civil war, where political instability and
social unrest continue to fester. Military tribunals under South Korean martial
law provide a legal mechanism for swift justice in cases of treason and
rebellion. By holding Yoon accountable in this manner, the country could
prevent further bloodshed and turmoil.
The Cost of Inaction
Time is not a neutral factor in this crisis.
Prolonging the status quo only deepens South Korea’s political and social
instability. The opposition party’s slim impeachment victory signals that
institutional mechanisms are faltering under the weight of Yoon’s authoritarian
grip. The ruling party’s refusal to confront Yoon further entrenches the
nation’s paralysis, allowing the seeds of chaos to grow unchecked.
The choice before South Korea is stark:
decisive action or prolonged disorder. Yoon’s actions have already shown that
he prioritizes his own survival over the well-being of the nation. His
continued resistance—bolstered by loyalists and secret guards—makes a peaceful
resolution increasingly unlikely. South Korea cannot wait for Yoon to
voluntarily relinquish power. History has shown that unchecked dictators will
not step down without force.
A Call to Restore Democratic Order
The path forward is fraught with difficult
decisions, but the stakes could not be higher. South Korea’s fragile democracy
cannot withstand prolonged assaults from within. The military’s role, while
controversial, may be the only means to swiftly restore stability. A military
tribunal, operating within the bounds of South Korean martial law, can deliver
the justice that the nation desperately needs—justice that reflects the gravity
of Yoon’s crimes and prevents further deterioration of the social order.
This is not a call for vengeance but a demand
for accountability. South Korea stands at a crossroads. The decisions made in
the coming days will determine whether the nation remains a beacon of democracy
or succumbs to the chaos of autocratic overreach. Yoon’s reign must end—not
through drawn-out political theater but through the decisive action that this
moment demands. The survival of South Korea’s democracy depends on it.
After months of legal swings and arguments,
Yoon may ultimately be prosecuted as the majority of South Korean public has
long expected. However, the damage caused during this time to South Korea’s
society and economic system will be devastating. Will the South Korean people
willingly accept this destruction, or will they choose to act proactively
against Yoon and the less than 10% of war-mongering ultra-right factions who
continue to support this state of civil war? As history has shown, hesitation
can lead to greater instability. Personally, I am reminded of the climactic and
cathartic ending scene of the movie Civil War, where decisive action
ultimately prevails. South Korea now faces its own moment of truth—one that
demands courage, clarity, and the will to restore peace.