Title : DEMOCRACY IN SOUTH KOREA AFTER THE DECEMBER 3 EMERGENCY MARTIAL LAW DECLARATION

Presenter :

• Dr. Brandon Beomseob Park (Chung-Ang University)

• Dr. Sookeung Jung (Korea Europe Center)

Abstract :

• Since the declaration of emergency martial law on December 3, 2024, Korean society has been experiencing two contrasting faces at once. On one hand, it demonstrated a remarkable democratic resilience, neutralizing the martial law through the immediate resistance of its citizens. On the other hand, the arduous process leading to the President's impeachment and removal from office has laid bare the Seoul Western District Court riot, the rise of far-right forces, and severe political polarization. This workshop of the Korea Europe Center has been organized as an occasion to diagnose the current state of Korean democracy—where crisis and resilience intersect—and to jointly explore future directions for research.

  The first presentation will be given by Dr. Brandon Beomseob Park of Chung-Ang University, who has observed political polarization and the crisis of democracy through his research "Who Supports Martial Law?" In this presentation, he will examine the current state of Korean democracy through the lens of the political landscape reshaped in the wake of the June 3 local elections. Following this, Dr. Sookeung Jung of the Korea Europe Center will introduce a research project she is currently running together with two graduate students, based on interviews with 313 citizens who rushed to the National Assembly on the night of the December 3 martial law declaration, a project conducted by the Truth Foundation. While the work is currently at the stage of anonymizing the transcripts, the goal is to write papers on specific sub-themes once the materials are organized, and ultimately to publish a volume—working title The Faces of Democracy—portraying all 313 individuals.

  Centered on these two presentations, the workshop will focus on a broad discussion of what kinds of research are needed on the theme of Korean democracy going forward. As this is an internal event, participation by outside parties is not permitted in principle; however, those wishing to observe may be able to attend if they contact the department in advance. We look forward to your interest and participation.

Date & Time : 17.07.2026

Venue : Institute of Korean Studies, Freie Universität Berlin

Contact : Dr. Sookeung Jung (sookeung.jung@gmail.com)