Anthony Kuhn

And it generally sees South Korea as an ally that helps it to promote democracy. and defend the liberal international order. But South Korea may be consumed, possibly for months, with defending its own democratic order.

And it generally sees South Korea as an ally that helps it to promote democracy. and defend the liberal international order. But South Korea may be consumed, possibly for months, with defending its own democratic order.

And it generally sees South Korea as an ally that helps it to promote democracy. and defend the liberal international order. But South Korea may be consumed, possibly for months, with defending its own democratic order.

You're welcome, Alyssa.

You're welcome, Alyssa.

You're welcome, Alyssa.

It began when President Yoon Song-yeol declared martial law late Tuesday evening, and he explained to the public that opposition politicians who control parliament are paralyzing the government. They're subverting democracy, and they're aligned with North Korea.

It began when President Yoon Song-yeol declared martial law late Tuesday evening, and he explained to the public that opposition politicians who control parliament are paralyzing the government. They're subverting democracy, and they're aligned with North Korea.

It began when President Yoon Song-yeol declared martial law late Tuesday evening, and he explained to the public that opposition politicians who control parliament are paralyzing the government. They're subverting democracy, and they're aligned with North Korea.

But lawmakers in parliament unanimously voted to demand Yoon to cancel martial law, which he then did, as he's required to do by the Constitution. Yoon's top aides have offered to resign en masse, so has his defense secretary. And opposition lawmakers plan to put the impeachment motion to a vote in parliament as early as Friday or Saturday. So very fast moving.

But lawmakers in parliament unanimously voted to demand Yoon to cancel martial law, which he then did, as he's required to do by the Constitution. Yoon's top aides have offered to resign en masse, so has his defense secretary. And opposition lawmakers plan to put the impeachment motion to a vote in parliament as early as Friday or Saturday. So very fast moving.

But lawmakers in parliament unanimously voted to demand Yoon to cancel martial law, which he then did, as he's required to do by the Constitution. Yoon's top aides have offered to resign en masse, so has his defense secretary. And opposition lawmakers plan to put the impeachment motion to a vote in parliament as early as Friday or Saturday. So very fast moving.

So what was President Yoon trying to accomplish with all this? Well, Yoon was elected president by a razor-thin margin in 2022. And since then, he's struggled to get his policies and his budgets through parliament. Opposition politicians have impeached his appointees. They've hounded his wife over several scandals. But does that justify martial law?

So what was President Yoon trying to accomplish with all this? Well, Yoon was elected president by a razor-thin margin in 2022. And since then, he's struggled to get his policies and his budgets through parliament. Opposition politicians have impeached his appointees. They've hounded his wife over several scandals. But does that justify martial law?

So what was President Yoon trying to accomplish with all this? Well, Yoon was elected president by a razor-thin margin in 2022. And since then, he's struggled to get his policies and his budgets through parliament. Opposition politicians have impeached his appointees. They've hounded his wife over several scandals. But does that justify martial law?

Well, I talked about this with Benjamin Engel, who's a political scientist and a visiting professor at Dangok University just outside Seoul. And here's how he says he talked about it with his colleagues.

Well, I talked about this with Benjamin Engel, who's a political scientist and a visiting professor at Dangok University just outside Seoul. And here's how he says he talked about it with his colleagues.

Well, I talked about this with Benjamin Engel, who's a political scientist and a visiting professor at Dangok University just outside Seoul. And here's how he says he talked about it with his colleagues.

So a self-coup basically means that Yoon was democratically elected president, but in order to hang on to and increase his power, he tried to roll back civil liberties.

So a self-coup basically means that Yoon was democratically elected president, but in order to hang on to and increase his power, he tried to roll back civil liberties.