South Korea’s Former President Faces Harsh Reckoning for Martial Law Power Grab

In an unfolding drama that underscores the fragility of democratic norms worldwide, former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol faced a decisive verdict Thursday in Seoul on serious charges of rebellion. His abrupt and ill-conceived declaration of martial law in December 2024, which saw military forces encircle the nation's legislature, marked one of the gravest challenges to stable governance in decades. How did a democratically elected leader turn to martial law? Yoon's brief power grab—lasting only six hours before lawmakers broke the blockade—exposed deep political fractures within South Korea. Claiming that liberal opposition forces obstructed his agenda as "anti-state," Yoon...