South Korea: Thousands protest, march to president's office

[@YaqoobChawla]

طاقت کا سر چشمہ عوام ہیں جیو اور جینے شیم آن مارشل لاء جیوے جیوے عوام ایک اور صیہونی ابلیسی نظام کا پلین برباد ہوا شکریہ ساؤتھ کوریا عوام❤ ژندہ باد مارشل لاء ڑیکٹیٹر شپ شیم آن یو

[@Dailyvisitvlog-i3r]

Oho no very sed 😭😭😭

[@Dailyvisitvlog-i3r]

😮😮😮😮😮

[@sirduke7636]

What are they protesting for, i mean does he want to join north korea😮

[@Akmong1988]

For him to step out of office.

[@신바람]

Foreigners may view this situation negatively, but I would like to explain why I support President Yoon Suk-yeol. During the Korean War, President Truman sent U.S. troops to fight against North Korean communism, with General MacArthur crossing the 38th parallel. At the time, global consensus leaned toward halting the war, especially with China aiding North Korea. From a Korean perspective, countless citizens lost their lives, and many nations sacrificed to defend freedom in Korea. President Syngman Rhee, in those dire times, firmly opposed the withdrawal of U.S. troops without a mutual defense treaty with the United States. He fought against communism, foreseeing the disastrous consequences of allowing it to prevail - a scenario where the free world would inevitably be overrun. At a time when Koreans could barely distinguish between communism and democracy due to their dire circumstances, President Rhee took bold actions, even releasing anti-communist prisoners, to prevent the fall of Korea to communism and to rally global support for freedom. Although he faced heavy criticism domestically, President Rhee tirelessly persuaded others to stand for liberty. Achieving freedom required significant sacrifices. Korea, too, participated in the Vietnam War to oppose communism. Today, Korea is in a crisis. Internationally, the term "martial law" evokes strong, negative connotations, and domestically, it is met with widespread disapproval. However, the 2024 declaration of martial law was likely an extreme measure to confront what the government viewed as anti-state forces within the National Assembly that threatened liberal democracy. While controversial, this action reflects the gravity of the current situation. The opposition party, the Democratic Party, has paralyzed national governance to an unprecedented degree. They have frequently resorted to impeachment proceedings against officials they oppose and have even proposed budgets that allocate zero funds to crucial administrative functions like the Prosecutor’s Office, the Police, and the Presidential Office. The leader of the opposition party has a criminal record with four convictions. In his past, he engaged in deceit, such as impersonating a prosecutor to secure his position as the mayor of Seongnam. As Gyeonggi Province Governor, he was implicated in numerous scandals, and during the 2022 presidential election, he faced accusations of electoral law violations and perjury, which are still under trial. He has already been sentenced to one year in prison with a two-year probation for election law violations. If this is upheld in the Supreme Court, his election will be nullified, and his party will face a fine of 40 billion won for campaign expenses. Despite his current status as a member of the National Assembly, his legal troubles persist. One particularly serious case involves allegations of perjury. Although the first trial resulted in a not guilty verdict, both ruling and opposition parties expect a guilty verdict in the appellate court. Evidence includes recordings that suggest the leader coerced perjury from subordinates while serving as Gyeonggi Governor. Additionally, he is under trial for bribery and corruption linked to development projects during his governorship, with many close associates either convicted or having committed suicide. He denies responsibility despite being the top decision-maker in Gyeonggi Province. The opposition leader is also accused of sending money to North Korea. His associates have already been convicted, but his trials are delayed, likely extending beyond the current president's term. Over two years were spent on the first trial alone due to continuous delays. Despite mounting evidence of deceit, the opposition leader continues to undermine the ruling party and President Yoon's efforts to strengthen South Korea’s trilateral alliance with the U.S. and Japan. He engages in extensive propaganda campaigns, which are deeply concerning. Recently, a Chinese national was caught using drones to capture footage of Korean military bases, sharing the data with foreign authorities. Additionally, spies affiliated with North Korea, disguised as members of civic organizations, were apprehended and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Despite this, the opposition party is blocking critical legislative measures, such as expanding espionage laws to cover foreign agents. The opposition leader is showing behavior that goes beyond the Constitution in pursuit of his own political success as president. You cannot imagine how far the situation has progressed. Facing a potential invalidation of his election due to a violation of election laws, he proposed a bill to raise the threshold for invalidation from a fine of 1 million won to 10 million won. Moreover, despite being on trial for distributing money envelopes during the party’s election to sway votes from local residents, he is pushing legislation to exonerate those involved. It’s truly shameful. The opposition has also initiated 22 impeachments against government officials, including ministers, the prosecutor general, and the head of the Audit Board, effectively crippling the administration. It is crucial for the international community to understand the gravity of South Korea’s current situation. While studying modern and contemporary history, I cannot deny the negative connotations associated with the term "martial law." I, too, was deeply shocked by it. This action was undoubtedly a grave mistake. However, in the current situation where South Korea is maintaining international relations with the U.S. and Japan to counter communism, I cannot help but criticize the opposition party for siding with the completely opposing bloc of North Korea, China, and Russia. In fact, the impeachment motion even cites hostility toward North Korea, China, and Russia as one of the reasons for impeachment. This truly feels like a crisis. While I respect the votes and choices of the South Korean people, it is difficult to simply stand by as the nation moves in the exact opposite direction. Of course, using martial law as a means to address the situation was a mistake that has led to the current state of affairs, but I hope you can understand the underlying context and interests.

[@jennifercrumpley5900]

So there is no validity to the reason thousands are protesting? Your history lesson seems to be missing something. I don't know what that might be, but something is definitely missing.

[@신바람]

I believe South Korea is a developed nation in all areas, but its politics remain underdeveloped. Both the opposition and the ruling party are more focused on asserting their own agendas rather than working together. Since President Yoon Suk-yeol was elected in 2022, there have been numerous impeachment attempts against him. In past administrations, impeachments were rare, with only two to four cases per government. Hearing this, one might think the government is reckless. However, under the previous Moon Jae-in administration, the national debt increased by 400 trillion won during his term, while his policies heavily leaned toward North Korea, China, and Russia. You may recall the news from June 2019 when U.S. President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met at the Korean DMZ. Although President Moon was also present, he was essentially sidelined. This was due to his unrealistic foreign policies, to the point where a U.S. security detail blocked him from approaching Kim Jong-un. The image of this awkward moment circulated widely. Despite the policy failures and a subsequent change in administration, many officials from the Moon government are now leading the opposition. They seem to harbor resentment, feeling as though they were robbed of power. You mentioned the impeachments over the past two years, most of which involved prosecutors and judicial officials. This stems from the legal risks surrounding opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, which could determine whether he can run in the next presidential election. Unlike other countries, prosecutors in South Korea hold both investigatory and prosecutorial powers. For ordinary citizens, there’s no reason to fear prosecution unless a crime is committed. Criminals, however, often feel the pressure. For similar reasons, the opposition leader has gone so far as to amend party rules to secure a second term as party leader, asserting himself as a leading candidate for the next presidency. This has reached a point where he is effectively intimidating the judiciary and prosecutors by leveraging his political influence. Currently, the opposition holds 192 seats, a significant majority compared to the ruling party’s 108 seats. In a democracy, majority rule is inevitable. However, under President Yoon’s administration, many of his appointees, including key ministers, have been impeached. In a nation with a separation of powers, the legislature has overstepped its boundaries, acting like prosecutors while summoning current officials for hearings under the pretext of public accountability. These hearings often devolve into ridicule and attempts to hold ruling party figures accountable. No matter the situation, South Korean citizens would never stand idly by under martial law. President Yoon is well aware of this. Even though the military and police may appear strict in enforcing martial law, there were explicit instructions to avoid harming civilians. Yet, some opposition lawmakers have gone as far as provoking military personnel, with one captured on video attempting to seize a soldier’s weapon while shouting, “Let go! Let go!”-a blatant attempt to incite unrest. While martial law is within the president’s authority, I believe this action crossed a line. That said, the opposition and certain communist-affiliated groups are now trying to rewrite laws to grant amnesty to their criminally accused leader. Can you imagine any citizens remaining silent in such a situation? The public's frustration must have reached a boiling point for it to come to this. While I agree that martial law was a mistake, it’s equally important to acknowledge the opposition’s role in creating this crisis. This reflects President Yoon’s resolve to shed light on these issues. Please share this widely. It’s vital that people understand the full context. Ah! Let me share something important. During the previous administration, when the opposition party was in power, they conducted a years-long investigation into allegations of stock manipulation involving President Yoon Suk-yeol's wife. Despite their efforts, they found no evidence and were unable to file charges. Yet, even after President Yoon took office, they continue to use this case to tarnish his reputation, demanding further investigations into his wife. Now, they are leveraging the recent declaration of martial law to shift public focus away from other issues and push for the president's impeachment. What’s worse, the opposition party has been blocking investigations into its own alleged crimes. A clear example of this is when the National Assembly recently rejected an arrest motion for one of its members facing serious criminal allegations, demonstrating just how deep the corruption runs. Furthermore, the opposition impeached the Chairman of the Korea Communications Commission (KCC), effectively halting his duties and allowing figures from the previous administration to take control of certain broadcasting stations. Although the chairman was impeached, a constitutional court ruling requires the agreement of seven out of nine judges for impeachment to be upheld. However, with three judges’ terms having expired, only six judges remain, making it impossible to proceed with any trial. Despite this, the opposition delayed nominating replacements for six months, rendering the constitutional court dysfunctional. Suddenly, after the declaration of martial law, they rushed to recommend nominees, revealing their true priorities. It’s shocking to see that they care little about the people’s welfare and focus solely on their own interests and attempts to destabilize the government. For two and a half years, the government has been paralyzed by constant impeachment attempts. Is this normal? This is why I felt compelled to share this.

[@jaywalkallstar]

The opposition has sizable majorities in the legislature. It is on the President to compromise with them. Not the other way around.