SEOUL, November 04 (AJP) - South Korea has successfully defended its democratic institutions in the face of its first declaration of martial law under a democratic government and a surge of disinformation that culminated in a presidential impeachment, a leading Korean constitutional scholar told a global legal audience.
Sung Nak-in, former president of Seoul National University and one of Korea’s foremost constitutional experts, detailed the short-lived but deeply damaging martial-law crisis before more than 5,000 delegates at the International Bar Association (IBA) Annual Conference in Toronto, which runs from Sunday to Friday.
He spoke at the session titled “Democracy in Crisis: What Is the Role of Access to Justice?” on Monday.
South Koreans witnessed the imposition of martial law for the first time in over four decades when then-President Yoon Suk Yeol — a former prosecutor general — made a sudden late-night televised declaration on Dec. 3, 2024. The order was nullified hours later after opposition lawmakers pushed through a legislative veto with the help of civilians who rushed to the National Assembly at midnight to secure entry and enable the vote.
Yoon was impeached on Dec. 14 and later arrested and tried on multiple charges. A snap presidential election was held in June, bringing current President Lee Jae Myung to office.
Sung, a Paris-educated scholar of constitutional law, described how South Korean society navigated political upheaval, social fragmentation, economic strain, and a proliferation of conspiracy theories and fake news by relying firmly on the rule of law and democratic procedures.
The IBA represents more than 80,000 legal professionals from 170 countries. This year’s conference addresses a wide range of global legal challenges including AI and law, business law, climate justice, and the rule of law.
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