Over the past three years, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol faced rampant criticism over his response to national catastrophes. This culminated in his impeachment on December 14 last year, followed by his subsequent arrest one month later.
Yoon’s impeachment was primarily catalyzed by his short-lived declaration of martial law—an action in which the military temporarily takes over control from the government. However, public outrage also stemmed from his handling of the investigations into the Itaewon Halloween crowd crush and the death of Corporal Chae of the Marine Corps.
Among the key events that contributed to this criticism was the Itaewon Halloween crowd crush. On October 29, 2022, crowds in the Itaewon district of Seoul gathered to celebrate their first Halloween since COVID-19. As the night progressed, the streets became dangerously overcrowded, triggering a deadly stampede that left 159 dead and 300 injured.
According to the Yonhap News Agency, following this tragic event, Yoon offered support to the victims of the incident but refused the call for a formal investigation, claiming that the situation was already being managed adequately. Citizens and opposition leaders criticized the president’s response, mentioning insufficient government oversight.
Democratic Party leader Lee Jae Myung called for a public apology, stating that “the president, who is responsible for this disaster and all state affairs, should apologize sincerely to the people and the victims.” He argued that Yoon’s response conveyed a lack of empathy toward the nation.
The following July, another tragedy struck South Korea: the death of a 20-year-old conscripted soldier of the Marine Corps Chae Soo Geun. According to KBS News, Corporal Chae was sent on a rescue mission without any safety equipment, which eventually led to his death while in search of victims.
Following Corporal Chae’s death, while Yoon expressed his condolences nationwide, Yonhap News Agency claims that the “[military leaders] were not protecting [Chae] appropriately and instead unduly protecting the superiors responsible for his
preventable death.”
The Korea Times reported that citizens were dissatisfied with the president’s handling of the situation, which led to nationwide protests demanding structural reforms in military leadership.
Amid ongoing political tensions, Yoon made an unexpected move. On December 3rd the following year, at 10:30 p.m. (KST), Yoon declared an unannounced emergency martial law which is an action unprecedented since South Korea established democracy in 1987. For many Koreans, this brought flashbacks of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, when student protests against martial law was brutally suppressed, leading to seven years of authoritarian rule under former President Chun Doo Hwan.
Article 77 of the South Korean Constitution states that a president may declare martial law in a crisis, which is classified into two types: emergency and security. Yoon justified his decision by claiming he was defending the country from “anti-state” forces linked to North Korea. On the contrary, BBC News concluded that his abrupt declaration was driven by political struggles rather than a legitimate emergency that contradicted the constitution.
One of these struggles was his rapidly decreasing public approval. A public opinion survey conducted by Gallup Korea reflected a continued decline in the president’s approval rating in early November 2024: “Yoon’s approval rating dropped from 19% last week to 17%.”
While his approval rating continued to fall, the controversy surrounding his martial law declaration further intensified calls for impeachment. As a result, opposition parties moved forward with the impeachment, and Yoon has been undergoing trials while facing mounting criticism.
According to AP News, Democratic party lawmaker Jung Chung Rai claimed that Yoon “undermined the constitution by trying to seal the assembly and suppress its authority with armed troops.”
National Assembly Speaker Woo attributed Yoon’s impeachment to “the people’s strong push for democracy and reform.”
At the time of publication, Yoon awaits the Constitutional Court’s decision on his impeachment.