SEOUL – When South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law for the first time since 1980, 70-year-old Lee Chul-Woo, a pro-democracy protester from the 1980s, was reminded of his past under military rule. His youth was marked by participation in student protests against the right-wing dictatorship of General Chun Doo-hwan, who declared martial law in 1980, leading to a violent military crackdown in Gwangju. Hundreds died or went missing during the suppression of the Gwangju uprising, an event that became a symbol of South Korea’s painful transition to democracy.
Lee, who has continued to protest Yoon’s government and call for his impeachment, recalled being beaten and arrested by soldiers during the 1980s protests. Despite the failed martial law order by Yoon, Lee felt relieved but also deeply troubled by the echoes of the country’s authoritarian past. Yoon’s rhetoric, branding opponents as pro-North Korean sympathizers, reminded Lee of past justifications for authoritarian crackdowns.
Lee, a retired teacher, expressed concern that younger generations might not fully grasp the significance of these struggles, but he vowed to protect democratic institutions from any future attempts at authoritarian control. He hopes to pass on the lessons of his past to younger protesters who carry the fight for democracy forward.