Views on the short-lived operation of martial law

[허만]

Views on the short-lived operation of  martial law: with wide open eyes on external situation

Professor Emeritus Mane Heo/Former President of KSCES

The President Yoon government and the People Power Party has been long challenged by the opposition Democratic Party. There has been no parliamentary coopertion between the rival parties. Continued conflicts and selfish verbal arguments have happened, destroying the normal parliamentary functions. No advance has been made over tbe past two  years and seven months. 

Under this stifled situation, the martial law was declared. But it was cancelled 2 hours 35 minutes after the nullfication of the law was issued. In its operation, no single casulties and  injuries or defectors of officials  happened. Supporters' rallies did not collid against each other, merely chanting their slogans.  They  were deeply concened about the status of free democracy and the stable ROK-US Alliance.   As noticed at its beginning, the martial law was aimed at investigating the potential election fraud of South Korea's Central Election Commission. 

Once its operation proved unsuccessful shortly, the martial law was lifted under President's directives. Therefore the martial law was orderly, peacful and legitimate.  Besides this,  it targeted to essentially protecting the rapidly rising leftwing power and simultaneously democratic values, as well as their integrity. The opposition Democratic Party has long moved toward  the leftwing political orientations. It has increasingly moved in close to China and North Korea. Both countries have neglected human rights over the last long time, not respecting the rule-based order.  Viewed from this situation,  this operation carried out by the Yoon goverment deserves to be recorded in the Guinness World Record.

Considering the national political configuration, however, the country is at the crossroads. North Korea has continued to develop its military power. The rogue state concluded the comprehensive partnership alliance last year, dispatching

its troops to Russia. It expects a high military technology aid in return for the dispatch. The deal done by Kim and Putin realistically threatens the peace and security  in Northeast Asia, as well as on the Korean Peninsula. Quite recently, North Korea launched  its intercontinental ballistic missile toward the East Sea.  This action happened just 13 ten days before Trump's inauguration ceremony. It showd up its military might to the President Trump.   

In addition to North Korea's hostility,  China launched a new amphibious assault ship named "Sichuan", adding a very powerful cutting-edge warship to the country's-expanding navy.  China showed  hypersonic drone in the  naval operation in Pacific Ocean, ensuring  control right on the sea. Moreover, China sailed  its aircraft carrier "Jujian", the most largest and most advanced aircraft ever buildt in China . This was the fifth sea trials in the West Sea and Yangtze River.  This is obviously the  threatening acts  designed to demonstrate its military might to President Trump. 

At the begining of January 2025, a few of close supporters to President Trump made silent visit to Seoul. Paul Manerport, a first rank of supporter and Mercedes Schlapp, a prominent conservative commentator said that the inclination of Lee Jae Myung toward China may harm, if the worst case happens, Korean interests and its security.  She also said that the US was worried about  peace and security in Northeast Asia. This inclination will run counter to regional peace and security as a whole. Gordon Chang, another supporter and a China expert clearly said that Representative Lee was staging  a political rampage in his efforts to defeat the government party.  They said that Korea is needed to the US in the work of construction of warship because Korea has modernized huge dockyards. The essential linchphin in this field will sure serve as an essential partner to the new US Government.  The US now must compete against Chines shipbuilding capacity for many years to come. In particualr Schlapp warned that rampage toward leftwing move is rising in Korea.  Overall, such warnings signal that conservativ power must be reconstructed, and kept alive and dynamic for maintaining the Southern Trilateral Coalition Structure born in the spirit of the Camp David Summit in 2023. Simultanously the members of the two rival patties need to pay sharp attention to the words that President Trump said in his message immediately after his inauguration that "Chairman Lee Jae-myung is walking the wrong way, even though I don't know him well."

Now how shold we react to these intenational configurations?  Korea is now getting into the hell of controvercies over who is right  and wrong in the impeachment proceedings of President Yoon. There are also selfish, ardent debates over how to deal with  rebellion crime or not.  Parliamentarians, jusrists and government officials are keeping their eyes on these fruitless debates. Faced this sort of political crises, the country now is not capable of standing up to continued interntional and regional entanglements. Despite such difficulties, Korea has to make greater efforts to get out of such internal political crises. In the end, it will then be capable of strengthening free democracy and joining the global cooperative networks, contributing peace and security,  with the world democratic powers. To this end, we certainly need rethinking of balanced diplomacy that can accommodate all world democratic powers for global peace, security and prosperity.

As a scholar of political science, I have long wanted conservativism to be deeply rooted in the country. It carries more common snese, more wisdom, and more humanity, with which Koreans can overcome any national crisis that they may face in their future.  It essentially aims to maintain histroy, tradition and status quo. Koreans like much less, with suspicious eyes, progressvism because it has a strong inclination to downplay  history, tradition and status quo, easily getting closer to revolution.  Revolution changes nothing for development. It stifles human rights. It can endanger peace and safety. Therefore I have expected that Yoon's leadership would play a maximum role in building conservativism as we  see today it developed in the 19th century United Kingdom and later in the rest of advanced European countries. It may be termed  a high quality diamond for human life and political life as well.

In short, the short-lived operation of the martial law is duly considered a lesser evil-like panacea, if not effective now and not widely respected for the time being. It will soon be  on the way back to  the pillars of the world peace, security and prosperity, with the reinforced ROK-US Alliance Networks.