Dec. 7, 2024
SEOUL — The fallout from President Yoon
Suk-yeol's alleged illegal declaration of martial law continues to roil South
Korea, with alarming reports of discontent brewing within the military ranks.
Special Warfare Command soldiers, who were deployed during the controversial
operation, have expressed outrage over what they perceive as scapegoating by
their superiors. Their grievances, combined with the broader political
instability gripping the nation, raise a chilling question: could this military
discontent escalate into a coup against the embattled president?
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| Special forces operatives deployed under the illegal martial law at the National Assembly on 3, Dec. 2024 |
"We’re Being Made the Rebels":
Soldiers Speak Out
Special forces operatives deployed under the
alleged illegal martial law have reportedly been left feeling betrayed and
humiliated. Soldiers claim that higher-ups are attempting to absolve themselves
of responsibility by shifting the blame to lower-ranking troops.
“We are being made into the rebels,” one
soldier told MBN News, voicing frustrations that the chain of command failed to
protect them from public condemnation. On the ground, soldiers were labeled
"rebels" by civilians who viewed their deployment as an
unconstitutional power grab.
This internal discord is compounded by
reports that the Special Warfare Command’s leadership, including Commander Kwak
Jong-geun, denies prior knowledge of the martial law orders. Such statements
have further fueled perceptions of scapegoating within the ranks.
Military Discontent as a Trigger for
Coup Potential
Historically, military coups often arise from
a mix of perceived betrayal by civilian leadership and broader institutional
humiliation. In South Korea, where the military has a complicated history of
authoritarian rule and a more recent tradition of professional subservience to
civilian authority, these developments are deeply unsettling.
The current crisis raises key questions:
- Young
Soldiers as Catalysts: Could junior officers
and enlisted soldiers, emboldened by their shared grievances, bypass the
traditional hierarchy to organize a coup? History shows that disillusioned
and mobilized young soldiers have sometimes been the driving force behind
coups in other nations.
- Institutional
Rifts: The public distancing of Army
Headquarters and top brass from the Special Warfare Command’s actions
during the martial law declaration could deepen divisions, potentially
creating an environment conducive to military insubordination.
- Erosion
of Civilian Control: If the military
perceives civilian leadership as illegitimate or untrustworthy,
particularly in light of allegations of illegal orders, the foundation of
democratic civilian control over the armed forces could be at risk.
A History Lesson: Coups in Fragile
Democracies
South Korea’s democracy has evolved
significantly since the military dictatorships of the 20th century, but its
institutions remain vulnerable. The illegal martial law and the failure of
impeachment proceedings underscore systemic weaknesses that could be exploited
by opportunistic actors within the military.
Comparisons to nations that experienced
military coups reveal troubling parallels:
- Public
Frustration with Civilian Leadership:
Widespread dissatisfaction with Yoon’s administration—already accused of
corruption and authoritarian tendencies—has eroded public trust.
- Institutional
Instability: The inability of the
National Assembly to check executive overreach through impeachment
reflects a failure of democratic safeguards.
- Military
Discontent: Soldiers feeling humiliated and
betrayed are often the first sparks in the tinderbox of a coup.
What Happens Next?
If discontent within the ranks of the Special
Warfare Command and other military units continues to fester, it could pose a
direct challenge to Yoon’s administration. A coup, while not inevitable, is no
longer an unthinkable scenario.
However, a military intervention would not
solve South Korea’s deeper structural issues. Instead, it could plunge the
nation into a cycle of authoritarianism and repression, undoing decades of
hard-fought democratic progress. The alternative is for civilian institutions
to act swiftly to restore public trust, hold leaders accountable, and rebuild
confidence within the military.
Liberal Perspective: The Failure of
Neoliberal Governance
From a far-left viewpoint, this crisis
exposes the inherent contradictions of a neoliberal governance model that
prioritizes elite stability over popular sovereignty. Yoon’s administration,
steeped in corruption and authoritarian tendencies, has sacrificed the
wellbeing of the working class, youth, and even the military—often hailed as
the defenders of the state.
The military discontent, while alarming, is a
symptom of broader systemic failures. It is not simply a question of removing
Yoon but of dismantling the oligarchic structures that have allowed such abuses
of power to fester.
A Nation on the Brink
As South Korea grapples with this crisis, the
stakes could not be higher. Will the country find a way to heal the fractures
between its democratic institutions and its military, or will it descend into
deeper chaos? The path chosen in the coming days will define South Korea’s
political future—and serve as a cautionary tale for democracies worldwide.
The voices of betrayed soldiers and a
frustrated populace echo loudly: South Korea stands at a crossroads, with its
democracy hanging in the balance. The world is watching, and the consequences
of inaction could reverberate far beyond the Korean Peninsula.