Marshall Law in South Korea – How powerful is the South Korea President?

GP Politics News in a capsule for GP students

Politics and Governance is a topic within GP. It is meant to introduce students to basic concepts in politics in GP. Specifically, students need to be aware of systems of government, with a particular focus on democracy (it being the dominant form of government in the world today), the tension between individual rights and state needs, and between government and the media. Countries’ methods of governance are shaped by a range of historical and socio-economic factors.  Let’s look at the example of South Korea to understand more about Politics and Governance. 

Marshall Law – South Korea

5Ws and 1H 

What happened on 3 December 2024?

At around 10:30 PM local time, Mr. Yoon announced the imminent imposition of martial law. The order prohibited all political activities and restricted media freedoms. This marked the first time such emergency powers had been invoked since the end of the country’s military dictatorship in the late 1980s. Without presenting any evidence, Mr. Yoon accused the National Assembly, dominated by his political adversaries in the Democratic Party (DP), of becoming a “monster” that posed a threat to democracy. He suggested that they had collaborated with North Korean “communist forces.

Why did it happen? 

President Yoon said opposition parties had taken the parliamentary process hostage, adding that there was a need to “safeguard a liberal South Korea from the threats posed by North Korea’s communist forces” hence he declared martial law but he has since rescinded his order. More than two-thirds of the 300-member body voted unanimously to overturn the president’s decree just over two hours after it was enacted. Soon after, the armed forces began to withdraw.

What is the impact? Apply PESTLE and brainstorm on the possible impacts

Economically – Currency markets reacted sharply, causing South Korea’s won to fall by as much as 3% against the dollar. In response to the volatility, the Bank of Korea scheduled an urgent policy board meeting for the morning of December 4th to address the situation.

How powerful is the South Korea President?

South Korea, despite being a democracy, has a presidential system that concentrates substantial power in the hands of the president. This is particularly evident in the role of the president as commander-in-chief, which grants direct control over the country’s military and security forces. In this system, the president’s authority extends beyond typical executive functions, allowing them to make critical national security decisions.

President Yoon is a prime example of this concentrated power. After his recent statement, the scale of his influence was made clear when armed forces were deployed around the parliament building in Seoul, and riot police were stationed along key roads. This level of military and police presence underscores the president’s commanding role, even in moments of political tension, reflecting the unique balance of power in South Korea’s democracy.

What is Martial Law? 

Martial law is the imposition of direct military control over normal civilian functions of government, typically in times of emergency, crisis, or war. It suspends ordinary legal processes, and military authorities assume power, often overriding civilian rule and constitutional rights.

When the military takes control of a country instead of the regular government or police (which usually happens during times of major crisis, like war, big protests, or if there’s a lot of chaos), this means that the military can make and enforce laws, and they might even take over things like police work, running courts, or making arrests. Civilian rights, like freedom of speech or the right to a fair trial, can be limited or suspended. For example, there might be curfews where people are not allowed outside at night, or the military might control the media, so only certain news gets out. It’s usually seen as a last resort, because it means the normal, peaceful ways of governing aren’t working anymore. But it can also be dangerous because the military has a lot of power, and sometimes people’s freedoms can be taken away.

How does it affect democracy? 

Martial law is the imposition of direct military control over normal civilian functions of government, typically in times of emergency, crisis, or war. It suspends ordinary legal processes, and military authorities assume power, often overriding civilian rule and constitutional rights.

In a democracy, people have rights like freedom of speech, the right to protest, and the right to a fair trial. Under martial law, these rights can be limited or even completely suspended. This could possibly mean that people can be arrested without trial or the media can be censored. 

In a democracy, elected officials (like presidents or lawmakers) are supposed to have control over the country, while the military serves to protect, not rule. When martial law is declared, the military often takes over key government functions. This means decisions that should be made by elected leaders are now made by military commanders, undermining the core principle of democracy, which is that people are the ones who elect their leaders.

General Paper 2024 – Syllabus 8881 

Paper 1 Essay – This paper comprises 8 questions. Candidates write between 500 and 800 words on 1 question of their choice. Candidates examine issues of local, regional and global significance.

Candidates examine issues of local, regional and global significance, drawing on current affairs as well as general knowledge related to: – society and culture – economics – politics – the arts and humanities – science and technology – the environment

The questions will be broad and require candidates to integrate knowledge from various disciplines, showcasing an awareness of key local, regional, and global issues, as well as a conceptual understanding.