No unrest as feared, thanks to mature citizens

The weekend following the Constitutional Court’s decision to dismiss President Yoon Suk Yeol from office passed without incident. A weekend rally held at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square by Rev. Jun Kwang-hoon, a regular event for several years, saw noticeably fewer participants compared to previous gatherings before the ruling. Even on April 4, the day of the court’s announcement, only a handful of minor disturbances occurred. Considering that four people died and 63 were injured following the 2017 impeachment ruling against former President Park Geun-hye, the peaceful outcome this time is a significant relief.

Before the ruling, concerns were mounting that physical clashes between pro- and anti-impeachment protesters could erupt. From the declaration of martial law on December 3 until the verdict, a total of 1.24 million people had taken to the streets in central Seoul, divided over the impeachment. A poll conducted just before the ruling showed that 44% of respondents said they would not accept a decision that goes against their views.

One key factor in preventing unrest was the Constitutional Court’s unanimous decision, delivered by all eight justices in a convincing and well-articulated opinion. Police also applied lessons learned from the January breach at Seoul Western District Court, deploying their entire force to create a “vacuum zone” around the court with meticulous security operations. However, even with these efforts, such calm would not have been possible without the citizens’ mature and composed response. Protesters, who had previously confronted each other intensely, peacefully dispersed after the ruling, saying, “We accept the court’s decision. This is what liberal democracy and the rule of law look like.” This demonstrates the strength of a political culture shaped by 38 years of peaceful democratic transitions.

It was also ordinary citizens who stood unarmed to block military and police forces storming the National Assembly, buying time for lawmakers to pass a resolution lifting martial law. The festive atmosphere of pro-impeachment rallies outside the Assembly helped persuade even some ruling party lawmakers to support the president’s impeachment. Despite attempts by extremist groups to spread disinformation, including claims of a rigged election, and the amplification of such falsehoods by certain politicians, the public calmly demanded accountability from a president who had undermined constitutional order, and then returned to their daily lives.

The 123 days from the martial law declaration to the impeachment ruling revealed both the vulnerabilities and resilience of South Korean democracy. Any political force that turns a blind eye to the heightened civic maturity revealed during this crisis will, like the impeached president, fail and be held accountable.