South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-yeol was arrested in Hannam-dong, Seoul, on Jan. 15, making him the first president to be detained in the country’s history.
President Yoon, the face of Korea’s conservative political party, was impeached and suspended by parliament for a temporary declaration of martial law in December. The nation’s second arrest attempt of President Yoon resulted in his detainment.
The president’s arrest and impeachment were the result of the president’s temporary declaration of martial law in South Korea, leaving Korean citizens in shock. The last time Koreans saw martial law was during the Gwangju Uprising in 1980 when citizens were massacred for opposition against the government.
Political turmoil and instability have resulted in rallies throughout the country, especially in front of South Korea’s National Assembly and Gwanghwamun Square, with multiple lanes of traffic being blocked by civilians. The protests have also divided the people into their respective parties, causing further chaos and fueling the hostility between the two parties.
These political protests are beginning to harm the lives of nearby residents and business owners, including students of SIS.
“I see these rallies almost every day,” Jason Kang (10), a Hannam-dong resident, said. “They start around 4 p.m. and go on until 11 p.m., sometimes even until 3 in the morning. These protests also block the main entrance to my apartment, so I have to use an alternative route to use public transportation and enter my home. The protests were very irritating at first, but because of how frequent they are, it no longer bothers me much.”
Although there have not been any major injuries as of Jan. 14, up to 4000 police officers have been dispatched to regulate the protest activities. South Korea’s political status is still uncertain, with even a divide among the National Assembly becoming evident. The South Korean court rejected the president’s request for release, but with investigations still in progress, it is hard to say what the country’s future will look like.
