Quico Toro at Persuasion:
The political spasm that gripped South Korea last night has been widely seen as a portent of doom, but it need not be. Taking a page from Peru’s political playbook, Yoon Suk Yeol, South Korea’s unpopular, thin-skinned, ineffective president attempted an autogolpe, or self-coup—a power-play against the institutions of the country he was elected to lead.
Following a series of deadlocked budget negotiations with the opposition-run legislature, Yoon stunned the nation with a late-night speech declaring martial law on the flimsy pretext that the state was under threat. The move would formally put the country under military rule, suspending guarantees of free speech and assembly. Yoon sent soldiers into parliament to try to intimidate opposition lawmakers.
The power grab fell apart after a night full of drama when parliament voted to reverse the martial law decree, forcing Yoon to backtrack a scant six hours after his initial move. The near-instant collapse of this power-grab made for dramatic news footage that seemed to show a democracy spiraling into crisis. And yet, if deftly handled, the whole episode could well leave South Korea’s democracy stronger.
More here.
Enjoying the content on 3QD? Help keep us going by donating now.