When martial law was declared in South Korea on the night of December 3, Melbourne resident Seona Cho immediately booked a flight to Seoul to return to her homeland. She joined impeachment rallies and labour protests, standing in solidarity with workers fighting for democracy and justice. Her journey back to Australia occurred on the day President Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment was announced in the National Assembly.
* * *
Martial law — fear and the machinery of oppression
At 10.30pm on December 3, South Korea — a country long celebrated as a democratic beacon in Asia — was thrust into a state of martial law.
The Yoon Suk-yeol administration declared a state of emergency, deploying helicopters, armoured vehicles and paratroopers to storm the National Assembly. The glass walls of the assembly were shattered as soldiers swarmed the premises.
This declaration aimed to suppress popular sovereignty, undermine the judiciary, silence workers and crush any form of democratic resistance. However, the winter of 2024 proved once again that the true power lies with the people. Unarmed workers, students and ordinary citizens swarmed the Assembly, placing their bodies before armoured vehicles, chanting, “Abolish martial law!” and “Arrest Yoon Suk-yeol!”
Their defiance was a reminder that democracy is not a gift from the ruling class, but a struggle fought by the people.
Martial law is never benign; it is always violent and anti-democratic. Without the courage of those protesting, the National Assembly would have been forcibly dissolved, members arrested and dissenting journalists silenced.
Resistance — the unbroken chain of struggle
Han Kang, the 2024 Nobel Laureate in Literature, once asked: “Can the living save the dead?” This year, the South Korean people answered with a collective “Yes”.
The sacrifices of the past — the Gwangju Uprising, the Sewol Ferry disaster and the Itaewon tragedy — fuelled the resistance of the present. On that bitterly cold night, the protesters’ defiance led to the repeal of martial law within hours. This act of solidarity between the living and the dead symbolised the strength of collective struggle.
The winter uprising is not a momentary flash but the continuation of a long-standing fight against oppression and injustice. The grief of past tragedies, the memory of Gwangju’s bloodied streets and the lingering pain of the Sewol Ferry and Itaewon disasters energised the youth and workers alike. Their resistance was rooted in the past but looked toward the future, compelling them to continue the fight for justice.
Seoul — a people’s culture of protest
K-Pop anthems filled the streets, uniting the MZ generation (Millenials and Generation Z) as they danced with light sticks. The energy was contagious and older participants, caught up in the nostalgia of youth, joined in, waving their own light sticks. Middle-aged protesters, though unfamiliar with the chants, tried their best, only to collapse from exhaustion. The younger generation, with boundless stamina, carried the movement through the night.
Labour unions were also instrumental in organising the resistance. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) called for a general strike immediately after martial law was declared. While a nationwide strike was difficult due to organisational challenges, unions enthusiastically mobilised workers to participate in protests.
Following Yoon’s justification of martial law in his first public address on December 12, union members occupied a major highway leading to Yongsan, where the presidential office is located. Despite police barricades, protesters regrouped near Yoon’s residence, chanting for his arrest.
The sense of solidarity was palpable, with many people offering prepaid coffee, hot packs and food to protesters. The glow of light sticks replaced the candles of the 2016 “candlelight revolution”, evolving into a more youthful, dynamic symbol of resistance. Solidarity wasn’t just a buzzword — it was a living reality, a testament to the collective will of the people.
Yoon’s impeachment — the unfinished martial law for workers
Yoon Suk-yeol was impeached by the National Assembly on December 14, a victory won by the nationwide resistance.
However, this triumph carries a critical reminder. After mass protests in 2016 led to the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye, the subsequent administration under Moon Jae-in failed to break away from neoliberal policies that continued to benefit the rich while leaving the working class behind.
Eleven delivery workers at Coupang have died on the job since 2021, while subcontracted workers at Hanwha Ocean (formerly Daewoo Shipbuilding) faced a staggering 47 billion KRW damages claim for striking.
Similarly, female workers from Optical High-Tech in Daegu have been in an aerial protest for over 300 days, risking their lives as they demand fair treatment and the end of exploitative practices. At Seomyeon Market in Busan, workers have been fighting for more than four years after being unfairly dismissed. These are not isolated cases; across the country, workers continue to face exploitative conditions that show no sign of improving.
Unlike in Australia, where casual workers are compensated with higher wages to offset job insecurity, South Korea’s non-regular workers earn far less — an average of 1.96 million KRW per month compared to 3.62 million KRW for regular workers. The gap has steadily widened since 2016, and workers face exclusion from benefits and inhumane treatment.
With more than six workplace fatalities each day, South Korea continues to live under an unspoken martial law for workers. While Yoon’s martial law lasted only six hours, the everyday oppression of workers remains.
‘Obedience ends here. We take charge!’
This winter marked a new chapter in South Korean democracy. The martial law revealed the true face of Yoon’s regime — a naked display of authoritarianism that trampled on the values of democracy and workers’ rights. However, the people of South Korea are not resting. The removal of one authoritarian figure does not dismantle the deep-seated system that perpetuates inequality.
Even after Yoon’s impeachment, the conservative People Power Party and an opposition indifferent to the struggles of workers remain entrenched. The post-2016 reforms under Moon Jae-in did little to address the ongoing exploitation of the working class, leaving irregular labour contracts and workplace deaths unchanged.
For true change to occur, workers and citizens must stand united. This collective fight for a society where labour is respected and human dignity is upheld is far from over.
The end of Yoon’s martial law is not the end of the fight. The impeachment of Yoon Suk-yeol is just the beginning. The true struggle lies in the ongoing fight for a just society where workers are no longer exploited for profit and human rights are upheld.
South Korea is no longer defined solely by K-pop, K-dramas, K-food or K-beauty. The symbol of the nation’s future is now K-Protest — an embodiment of the unwavering struggle for democracy, equality and justice. The younger generation, often burdened with precarious jobs, has joined forces with the labour movement to demand a society where people are treated with respect and dignity.
This winter represents the beginning of this journey — a society where the true power of the people will shape the future.
2024 Seoul martial law timeline
December 3, 2024
10.30pm
President Yoon Suk-yeol declares a state of emergency martial law in an urgent national address.
Upon hearing the news of martial law, citizens begin gathering in front of the National Assembly to resist the declaration. The resistance movement begins.
The Martial Law Command issues the first proclamation: “Political activities and gatherings are prohibited.”
December 4, 2024
EARLY MORNING
Martial law troops enter the National Assembly grounds and block the main entrance of the National Assembly building and break into the National Assembly’s main door, clashing with citizens who resist.
The National Assembly holds an emergency session in response to the declaration of martial law and introduces a resolution to lift the state of emergency martial law.
From that day, daily impeachment rallies continue: Tens of thousands gather in Seoul during the week, and up to a million join on weekends, with regional and sectoral rallies calling for the impeachment of Yoon Suk-yeol.
December 12, 2024
President Yoon Suk-yeol delivers a speech stating, “Opposition parties are engaged in a frenzied political dance ... Martial law was declared to restore the constitutional order and national sovereignty.”
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) demand the arrest of Yoon Suk-yeol.
December 14, 2024
5.00pm
The impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk-yeol is passed with 204 votes in favour, 85 votes against, 3 abstentions and 8 invalid votes.
[Seona Cho lives in Melbourne.]