The Board of the Committee on Korean Studies has voted to endorse the following statement signed by Directors of various Korean Studies and Asian Studies Center across North American universities. The statement is reproduced below, along with the list of signatories.
Statement Condemning President Yoon Suk Yeol’s
Declaration of Martial Law in South Korea
December 4, 2024
On December 3, 2024, at 10:24 PM, Yoon Suk Yeol, President of the Republic of Korea,
resurrected the ghost of the country’s authoritarian past by declaring martial law. As the
martial law command forces amassed, the National Assembly moved swiftly in
response and alarmed citizens rushed to the Parliament in protest. At 1:00 AM on
December 4, 2024, 190 lawmakers voted unanimously to require President Yoon to lift
the martial law. At 4:30 AM, President Yoon announced that he will rescind martial law
after holding a meeting of his Cabinet, as required by Martial Law Act 2(5).
President Yoon’s declaration of martial law stood in direct violation of the Constitution
and procedural laws. Because martial law suspends the basic freedoms that safeguard
democracy, including the warrant system, freedom of speech, publication, assembly,
and association, and the authority of the courts, Article 77 of Korea’s Constitution states
that martial law can be declared only “when it is necessary to respond to military needs
or maintain public order in wartime or a similar national emergency.” The current
political and social situation in Korea does not meet the criteria of “wartime or a similar
national emergency.”
As directors of Korea centers at North American universities, we condemn Yoon’s
declaration of martial law and stand with Korean citizens as they defend their rights.
Korean history, which has demonstrated time and again that no political authority can
ultimately stand against the groundswell of popular will, serves as a reminder of the
fundamental principles upon which the country was founded. If we ignore history, we do
so at our own peril. This is also an important lesson that Korea provides for the world.
[We are expressing this opinion in our individual capacity but not representing our
affiliated institutions on this matter.]
- Jinsoo An, Center for Korean Studies, University of California, Berkeley
- Celeste Arrington, Institute for Korean Studies, George Washington University
- Sungdai Cho, Center for Korean Studies, State University of New York, Binghamton
- Nicholas Harkness, Korea Institute, Harvard University
- Don Baker and Steven H. Lee, Centre for Korean Research, University of British Columbia
- Seong-uk Kim and Jungwon Kim, Center for Korean Research, Columbia University
- Seung-kyung Kim, Institute for Korean Studies, Indiana University
- Namhee Lee, Center for Korean Studies, University of California, Los Angeles
- Yoonkyung Lee, Centre for the Study of Korea, University of Toronto
- Hyunjoon Park, James Joo-Jin Kim Center for Korean Studies, University of
- Pennsylvania
- Youngju Ryu, Nam Center for Korean Studies, University of Michigan
- Gi-Wook Shin, Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center, Stanford University
- Hyeyoung Woo, Institute for Asian Studies, Portland State University