As South Korea faces political turmoil – an impeached president, public outrage, and a pivotal election – recent events reveal deeper systemic fractures rooted in imperialism, authoritarianism, and comprador capitalism.
Historical Foundations: Colonialism and Cold War Repression
South Korea’s modern political economy was forged under Japanese colonialism (1910–1945), which exploited Korea for labour and resources while crushing dissent. After Japan’s defeat, the US occupied southern Korea (1945–1948), dismantling grassroots governance (People’s Committees) and installing the authoritarian Rhee Syngman regime. The Korean War (1950–1953) cemented South Korea as a US client state, with left opposition purged and rebellions like the 1948 Jeju Uprising brutally suppressed.
Military dictatorships followed, backed by the US and dominated by elites. Park Chung-hee’s rule (1961–1979) entrenched a comprador bourgeoisie – subservient to US capital – through state-backed chaebol monopolies (Samsung, Hyundai, etc.) and violent labour repression. Despite rapid industrialisation, inequality and autocracy deepened.
The 1980 Gwangju Uprising, crushed with US tacit approval, exposed the regime’s brutality. Mass protests eventually forced democratic reforms in 1987, but economic power remained with the chaebol, while governments – liberal or conservative – served capital and US interests.
Yoon Suk-yeol’s Rise: Crisis of Neoliberalism
Yoon’s 2022 election victory (by just 0.7%) reflected systemic failures: soaring household debt, precarious labor, and youth unemployment. Campaigning as a pro-US hardliner, he backed expanded military drills, THAAD, and NATO’s Asia expansion while targeting unions and dissent. Western media hailed him as a “democratic leader,” even as his government jailed opponents like Lee Jae-myung and Cho Kuk on dubious charges.
Martial Law and the Failed Coup
On December 3, 2024, Yoon declared martial law – a constitutional overreach reserved for wartime – to stifle corruption scandals and legislative opposition. Troops blockaded Parliament, but legislators barricaded inside, voting down the decree. Citizens formed human chains around the National Assembly, while unions mobilised. Military delays (e.g., stalled helicopter deployment) bought critical time, thwarting the coup.
Secret Provocations and US Complicity
Leaked reports revealed Yoon’s regime had staged provocations to justify martial law:
- Mongolia Operation (November 2024): South Korean agents tried contacting North Korea via Mongolia, later exposed by media.
- Suspected unauthorised Drone Flights Over Pyongyang
- Border Escalations: Pilots ordered to provoke North Korea. North Korea’s refusal to retaliate denied Yoon his pretext.
Whistleblower Kim Ou-joon exposed darker plots: assassination teams, false-flag operations (planted North Korean uniforms), and even plans to kill US soldiers to trigger war. With 80+ US bases in South Korea, Washington’s awareness was likely.
South Korea’s military remains under de facto US command. As security expert KJ Noh explains, the US retains wartime operational control (OPCON) over South Korean forces: a relic of the Korean War. This arrangement, likened to “owning the car while South Korea parks it,” meant Yoon’s attempted coup risked dragging the US into an unwanted conflict.
Mass Protests & Western Hypocrisy
Before the coup attempt, over 100,000 South Koreans – workers, students, intellectuals, small business owners, and dissident military – flooded Seoul demanding Yoon’s resignation. Western media ignored these protests, even as Yoon hosted the US-backed Summit for Democracy while jailing opponents. Secretary of State Antony Blinken praised South Korea’s “dynamic democracy” days before troops besieged Parliament – a stark example of strategic alliances trumping democratic principles.
The US military’s deep integration with South Korea’s forces – including joint command structures like US Special Operations Command Korea (SOCKOR) – makes it likely Washington was aware of Yoon’s plot. Delayed helicopter deployments (blamed on “airspace clearance”) further suggest US surveillance detected the operation. The Pentagon’s refusal to comment speaks volumes.
Yoon’s Downfall: Impeachment & Public Power
Yoon’s impeachment on April 4, 2025, marked a rare victory for accountability. The Constitutional Court ruled his martial law decree an unconstitutional power grab, citing military blockades of Parliament and attempted arrests of judges. Yet, the ruling was not just legal, it was forced by mass protests, exposing how elite institutions only bend under popular pressure. The country is now preparing for elections on 3 June 2025.
Charges of “treason involving foreign powers” (for provoking North Korea) were dropped after the military cited “sensitive secrets” to withhold evidence: a tactic long used by conservatives to evade scrutiny. The court’s decision, while historic, underscores systemic flaws: South Korea’s democracy remains vulnerable to authoritarian reflexes and US influence.
Democracy as a Façade
Yoon’s case reveals a grim pattern: The US tolerates authoritarianism in allies when it serves strategic goals. His anti-China stance and push for a US-Japan-South Korea military pact made him valuable, until his coup threat destabilised the region. Backchannel leaks (like those from whistleblower Kim Ou-joon) replaced public condemnation, mirroring past US silence during the 1980 Gwangju Massacre.
Even progressive leaders like Lee Jae-myung avoid criticising US hegemony, reflecting South Korea’s entrenched subordination. The left’s task is to expose this dynamic, challenging the narrative that US alliances equal democracy.
The Path Forward
- End US Military Domination: Withdraw 28,500 US troops and terminate OPCON.
- Break Chaebol Power: Enforce antitrust laws, tax the wealthy, and democratise workplaces.
- Deepen Democracy: Reform security agencies, diversify media, and expand civic participation.
- Pursue a Just Transition: Address inequality via shorter working weeks, green energy, and robust public services.
South Korea’s struggle is a global warning. In an era of democratic erosion, its fight against US imperialism and corporate oligarchy offers a blueprint for reclaiming sovereignty: not just in name, but in practice.
