Yoon Suk Yeol: Conservative who wanted to put democracy on hold

Yoon Suk Yeol: Conservative who wanted to put democracy on hold

Seoul, South Korea - the establishment of war law in a stable and lively democracy was a daring gambling - and one that obviously spectacularly turned against South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. The political career of the former public prosecutor and conservative fire fire is now on the brink, while an office procedure is running against him and he quickly loses support within his own ruling party.

dramatic scenes in Seoul

drastic pictures from South Korea showed military helicopters that landed in the capital Seoul near the national assembly, soldiers who broke through windows to prevent deputies from gathering and demonstrators who opposed the riot police. But the assignment was unsuccessful. TV stations and news media reported unhindered, people moved free and there were no mass arrests. When Parliament voted to lift Yoon's surprising decree, the security forces withdrew.

normality in South Korea

In the days after the events, the city center of Seoul was busy with commuting, the security presence was minimal, shops and restaurants remained open and the country worked as usual. Yoons short-lived however, however, felt like an attack on the heart of the country's democracy. While they marched peacefully through Seoul, the protesters expressed their outrage over this step. They described Yoon's actions towards CNN as "betrayal" and "an embarrassment" and demanded his resignation and arrest.

International reactions

his extreme decision even surprised the United States - which has had a defense pact with South Korea for decades. A high-ranking official from the US administration told CNN that he was "seriously concerned about developments". U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinking emphasized that South Korea was "one of our closest partners and allies" and it is important to "run this process peacefully and according to the constitution and the rule of law". While the nation tries to understand why Yoon is the nuclear option of the War rights Many relieved that the fiasco may be remembered as the week in which democracy in South Korea was threatened, but ultimately survived.

who is Yoon and what did he think?

Yoon, a political newcomer, took office with the conservative People Power Party in 2022 and won the presidential election with a lead of less than 1%. He had worked as a prosecutor for almost 30 years and led top-class investigations into corruption scandals, including a corruption determination against the former President Park Geun-Hye, which led to her office and prison sentence. On the election campaign, Yoon targeted the growing anti -feminist movement of the country and promised to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, which in his opinion was unfair to men.

conflicts and main opponents

While his predecessor Moon Jae-in preferred dialogue with North Korea, Yoon pursued a harder course and promised to strengthen South Korea's military and even start a preventive blow when he saw signs of attack on Seoul. During his time in office, Yoon got into violent conflicts with the opposition. This year the opposition parties won the elections with an overwhelming majority, which was considered a referendum on Yoon's rule, and took control of the National Assembly. As a result, he had to act as a lame president who was prevented from promoting laws on tax cuts and facilitating the corporate regulations, while his main opponents used the parliament in the democratic party to stop important cabinet members to impeach them and a draft budget.

The controversial war law decree

It was this blockade that Yoon used to justify his fateful decree. In his speech on the explanation of war law, he described the opposition's actions as "clear enemies of the state that aims to spark an uprising", and referred to the "threats from North Korea's communist forces" and swore "anti -state elements". The former Foreign Minister Kyung-Wha Kang told CNN that the idea of communist sympathizers or anti-state agents who aimed to overthrow the government was "completely independent of the circumstances in the country".

political self -destruction?

While Yoon had previously claimed that he was a supporter of fairness and common sense, "his words and deeds reflected that of a dictator," said Park Sung-Min, analyst at min consulting in Seoul. "It seems to be a political suicide." Nevertheless, Yoon's decision shows to withdraw the decree that he "does not look like a man who tries to seize power or extend his rule," said Sydney Seiler, Senior Advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "From the point of view of the government party, he tries to get things going. Probably he thought that he had a lot more support for his actions within his party than was actually the case."

controversy around the first lady

observer say that Yoon's decision to impose war law could have been more motivated out of self -protection. Since taking office, he has been faced with falling approval values due to economic problems and a number of scandals that affect his wife and political appointments, which results in public demand for resignation. First Lady Kim Keon Hee was accused last year to have accepted a $ 2,200 Christian Dior bag as a gift-possibly a violation of anti-corruption laws. A secretly recorded video that has appeared online allegedly shows Kim, who receives a cloud blue "Lady Dior Pouch" from a Korean-American pastor.

tensions within the party

The First Lady is not unknown with controversy-in recent years it has apologized for résumé and beautiful dyeing and was faced with allegations from academic plagiarism to insider trade, which the presidential office has repeatedly denied. The main opposition party, the Democratic Party, accused the President, "suspected moments" to hide his wife, and the growing public outrage even led to tensions between Yoon and the high -ranking members of his party. "Yoon tends to act instinctively than rationally and embodies a ruthless' lonely heroic persona," said Ahn Byung-Jin, professor at the Global Academy for Future Civilizations at Kyung Hee University. "He sees the current situation as an existential crisis, especially since members of his cabinet are intended to become an impeachment, which is to be reduced and special examinations against his wife are required."

The uncertain future of Yoon

Yoon stated that he had recently started playing the golf to prepare for "golf diplomacy" with the elected US President Donald Trump, but his misstep on Tuesday raises serious questions about his position on the international stage and domestic. Governments have recently overthrew parliamentary clashes. This week in France, Prime Minister Michel Barnier had to enforce parts of the annual budget of its government.