[How does a democracy hero look like?]
The chief of the South Korean Army Special Warfare Command said Friday he defied an order from then Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun to drag out lawmakers from the National Assembly building during martial law operations this week.
Lt. Gen. Kwak Jong-keun gave the response when asked by opposition lawmakers what instructions he received from his superiors when troops were sent into the National Assembly following President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law Tuesday.
“I was ordered by then Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun to pull people inside the National Assembly building outside,” the commander said at the unit’s headquarters.
“I did not fulfill that task even though I knew it would be insubordination because based on my judgment, dragging lawmakers out was clearly an illegal act,” he said.
When asked what orders he gave to his unit, the commander said he prohibited giving live ammunition to individual soldiers as he witnessed “unjustified scenes” during the deployment.
How South Korea’s Robust Protest Culture Shut Down Martial Law—For Now – [Archived version]
A surge in dramas and literature dealing with the country’s political trauma has helped older generations keep the memory of autocracy fresh.
Back in September, amid simmering tensions between South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and the country’s parliament, opposition leader Lee Jae-myung issued a warning: Yoon and his allies were preparing to declare martial law.
The claim was roundly dismissed as alarmist, the irresponsible stuff of conspiracy theories—even by some of Lee’s supporters. But the warning was prescient. On Tuesday, Yoon shocked the world by carrying out exactly what had been warned, declaring that martial law was necessary to save South Korea from “anti-state forces.”
The action instantly prompted scenes of chaos to unfold, with stunned lawmakers, and thousands of ordinary citizens, mobilizing to protest the declaration. Hours later, a unanimous parliamentary vote forced Yoon to back down. Still, his fate remains uncertain. Many are increasingly concerned that Yoon could reinstate martial law once more. Meanwhile, immense crowds continue to gather in Seoul, demanding Yoon’s removal.
Their leaders just haven’t figured out how to ignore protests yet. Protest something in the US, and it always falls on deaf ears, while politicians walk on their backs on the way to work.
Having said that, I guess we’ll find out when Trump does something as brazen as this… oh right, that was Jan 6th.
‘We had to stop this’: Woman who grabbed South Korean soldier’s gun speaks to BBC
A chaotic night in South Korea produced scenes most thought were consigned to the nation’s history.
One in particular has caught the attention of many: a woman confronting soldiers who were sent to block lawmakers from entering the National Assembly.
Footage of Ahn Gwi-ryeong, 35, a spokesperson for the opposition Democratic Party, grabbing the weapon of a soldier during the commotion has been shared widely online.
“I didn’t think… I just knew we had to stop this,” she told the BBC Korean Service. Ahn made her way to the assembly building as soldiers descended on it, shortly after the president declared martial law across South Korea.
