The trial of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges of insurrection began this week, with Yoon insisting that his declaration of martial law last year was “not a coup d’etat.” He likely believes that but as a former prosecutor he should know better and the law should not excuse such credulity.
Yoon was an embattled president. Elected in 2022, his time in office was a slog. The opposition controlled the National Assembly and it used that power to frustrate his every action; especially galling was its readiness to impeach officials of his administration. While he had support from just over 50% of the public after taking office, approval for his government had plunged to around 13%.
But democracy should be frustrating. It is intended to force compromise, a process that will inevitably be slow and exasperating. The real lesson of this sad episode is that South Korean leaders – like all true heads of state – must govern on behalf of their entire nation, rather than the narrower interests that elect them.
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