Martial law, democratic erosion, and democratic resilience in South Korea

This article examines South Korea's 2024 martial law as a critical moment in the ongoing struggle between constitutional democracy and authoritarian legacy. When President Yoon Suk Yeol invoked emergency powers amid legislative deadlock, he exposed longstanding structural vulnerabilities in South Korea's democratic framework, particularly in the areas of executive discretion, civil-military relations, and polarized political discourse. Informed by comparative research on democratic erosion and authoritarian persistence, this analysis situates the episode within South Korea's institutional and historical context. While the crisis revealed the fragility of institutional safeguards, it also demonstrated the capacity of coordinated legislative, judicial, and civic action to reverse constitutional transgression. This study suggests that this democratic rupture offers not only a warning but an opportunity: a chance to recalibrate legal constraints, depoliticize emergency powers, and confront the ideological continuities that shape Korean political life. The implications extend beyond South Korea, offering broader insights into democratic resilience.