South Korea is facing its worst constitutional crisis since the country’s founding, with President Yoon resisting arrest and deepening divisions between conservatives and liberals. The investigation into Yoon’s alleged insurrection has raised questions about the strength of democracy in the nation.
For the first time in history, a sitting South Korean president is being investigated for insurrection charges, sparking concerns about the rule of law and political institutions. Analysts say Yoon is exploiting the lack of clear guidelines on how to arrest a sitting president, using the situation to his advantage.
The standoff between Yoon’s security team and investigators has left many wondering who’s in charge. The Constitutional Court is weighing whether to uphold Yoon’s impeachment, which could lead to a new election within two months if he’s removed from office. Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, is leading candidate for the presidency.
The crisis highlights the country’s leadership instability and limited scope of the acting president. Experts say Yoon’s actions have fueled division, rather than unity, with dueling protests from supporters and opponents holding outside his residence.
Despite the challenges, some experts remain optimistic about South Korea’s democracy, saying that this is an extraordinary outlier in the nation’s history. They believe that the public will eventually regain trust in the democratic system.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/01/06/south-korea-president-yoon-arrest-democracy