Do We Need to Care about Politics?

As a teenager, I never thought I would have to care about politics until I was older. In my world, politics was just something that I didn’t have to worry about. And that was the problem. 

That night, I realized what freedom of speech truly meant.

It happened in the early hours of December 4th, 2024. I was sitting in my chair, my room lit up bright, and my fingers vigorously striking the buttons of my computer keyboard. I was scrambling to finish my social studies project that was due in a couple of hours. It was my own fault for procrastinating, but looking back, I wonder: What if I wasn’t awake at the time?

I was half-asleep, my eyes drooping, and struggling to finish the project when I heard the little ringtone on my phone go off a few times. It was my dad sending me messages. I looked at the time. 12:53 AM. I laughed a little as I jokingly replied, “Dad, why are you watching YouTube at midnight?”

I didn’t understand at first. The video my dad sent me had a title along the lines of “Emergency Martial Law” in Korean. I did not understand what those words meant at first. My Korean was limited, and I could only understand at the level of an elementary school student.

Then came my dad’s reply. “It’s an emergency. Our country’s in big trouble.” He told me to come to my little sister’s room (where my sister refused to sleep in), so that he could explain.

I ran out of my room right away, childishly taking the chance for a break from the project I had already procrastinated on.

At the time, I did not understand how deep South Korea was in its political crisis. I knew that my parents expressed frustration at the newly appointed president Yoon a few years ago, and that there were countless scandals involving him in the podcast my parents played in the car. I certainly didn’t expect my dad to text me in the middle of the night when he always told me to sleep early (I never listened).

This moment was when I started realizing the intensity of the situation around me. As a teenager, I never thought I had to care about politics until I was older. In my world, politics was just something that I didn’t have to worry about. And that was the problem. 

At 1 in the morning, in a city just outside Seoul, my dad and I sat together, watching the news on his phone. He explained everything to me from the start. A few hours ago, during the late hours of December 3rd, President Yoon Suk-Yeol declared martial law, claiming that there was a need to “...protect the country from ‘North Korean communist forces’ and ‘antistate forces,’ and to ‘rebuild and protect’ South Korea from ‘falling into ruin.’” (CSIS) In reality, it was to prevent investigations on his wife’s numerous scandals and to keep his authority from falling apart.

Most of the night was a blur. Everything was happening at once. On the news, I watched as countless journalists gathered around the National Assembly building (where the voting to lift the martial law was taking place), trying to prevent the military from entering. I watched as the leader of the Democratic Party, Lee Jae-Myung (now president of South Korea), livestreamed himself jumping over a fence to enter the National Assembly building. I heard helicopters flying overhead, heading toward the area where journalists, citizens, and military personnel were gathered in front of one single building.

Photo credit: Evelyn Kim

The next day, at school, everyone was talking about it. One of my friends, who lived near the National Assembly building, told me that there were countless tanks on the road. Everyone living there woke up from the desperate protests. My friends and I watched in disbelief as the stock market gradually declined. My teachers did not comment on any of it, but I could tell that many were worried and stressed. Most staff were foreigners living in South Korea, and many were probably considering leaving at the time of the disaster.  

Anything could’ve gone wrong that day. There was a fog that prevented the helicopters from arriving sooner. The military soldiers stationed in the area that day most likely did not know what was going on. Some were young men in their 20s serving their required military time. If the soldiers had opened fire at the crowd, the night would’ve resulted in bloodshed. 

If Yoon’s martial law had not been stopped, South Korea would have been in a state of complete military control. The press would have been suppressed. Protests restricted. The media controlled by the military, with information and news censored. There would have been arrests and searches without warrants. As unserious as it sounds, I wouldn’t have gone to school the next day, or possibly even for a few weeks or months. There would have been curfews that could lead to penalties, even though most of the students go to afternoon classes until late at night. The country would have returned to its former authoritarian state.

The news later revealed Yoon’s plan to provoke North Korea, possibly as a justification for martial law. If North Korea had retaliated, the country would’ve ended up in a war. 

Fortunately, none of these things happened. Yoon lifted the martial law 6 hours after he declared it. The journalists and citizens blocked military entry to the National Assembly, and 190 members were able to unanimously vote against the order, ending with a 190-0 vote. 

That night, every Korean was reminded of the country’s painful history. 

In 1948, 3 years after the South and North were divided and 2 years before the Korean War, the Jeju Massacre occurred under President Rhee Syngman’s martial law. 10% of Jeju Island’s population was eradicated.

Photo credit: Jeju Dark Tours

In 1960, the April 19 Revolution took place, with thousands of citizens, especially students, protesting against Rhee’s presidency and government corruption. Nearly 200 people were killed.

Photo credit: Seoul National University

In 1961, Rhee’s successor, Park Chung-Hee, carried out a military coup in order to establish a military government. More than a decade later, on October 1972, Park imposed martial law in order to enact the Yushin Constitution, allowing him dictatorial powers. Although praised for his involvement in South Korea’s technological development, his authoritarian leadership destroyed any chance for a democratic government within South Korea.

On May 17, 1980, President Chun Doo-Hwan extended the martial law (that was already in place after Park’s assassination) to suppress the uprising, particularly the one in Gwangju. It later became known as the Gwangju Democratization Movement, involving a violent crackdown by the military on the protestors. The government estimated that there were around 200 deaths. Others argue that it may be higher—up to 1,000. Even after 40 years, the exact number of deaths is unknown.

Photo credit: 5.18 Memorial Society

During the 80 years after Korea’s division, South Korea’s politics were stuck in a never-ending spiral. It took 40 years to pivot from an authoritarian direction. Countless protestors were silenced, killed, and arrested. Many Koreans, including my parents and grandparents’ generation, lived through the numerous atrocities caused by authoritarian powers. These historical events were not overlooked. 

On December 4th, 2024, Yoon’s martial law sparked nationwide outrage, and people demanded for his removal from office. Every news report since then revealed new scandals and controversies surrounding Yoon and his wife. Citizens of all ages gathered outside to protest.

On December 14th, 2024, my dad and I got on a subway train, heading for the center of Seoul. The train was packed with people, even though it was still 3 in the afternoon—not even close to rush hour. Even when we got off, the crowd barely budged. It was the busiest day I’ve experienced in Seoul. The roads were packed with buses and cars, honks and shouts filled the air, and there were people—masses and masses of crowds—all lined up to head for the National Assembly Building in Yeouido. 

It was a cold, winter day, and all of us were shivering inside our padded coats. Some people were holding giant flags of the South Korean flag or of random funny characters. Many people were carrying little lightsticks (for Kpop concerts) in their hands, and most held up signs calling for impeachment.

Photo credit: Evelyn Kim

When we arrived at the area, I could already see and hear thousands and thousands of people protesting. Around 85,000 people (Yonhap) all gathered outside the National Assembly Building, where the parliament’s second attempt to impeach President Yoon was taking place. I heard people chanting for Yoon’s impeachment, and a woman’s voice echoing through the area. When the songs started playing, everyone chanted the lyrics in sync, sometimes even changing them to express their frustration at Yoon. 

Standing there, in the middle of the crowd, I felt like I was in a fever dream. I was inspired by these thousands of people standing up for what was right. I could sense the anger, excitement, passion, and determination running through everyone—adults, elderly, teenagers, and children alike.

Photo credit: Evelyn Kim

At around 5 PM, the National Assembly announced the impeachment of Yoon Suk-Yeol. Everyone went wild. Cheers could be heard from all over the city. The speakers blasted music, and people began partying. 85,000 of us, outside in the chilly winter air, singing, dancing, cheering as we succeeded in removing a corrupt power from causing even more harm. 

Video Credit: Evelyn Kim

And it seemed as if more people—especially young teenagers my age—began to join the crowd. Just a few walks away, in an area where it wasn’t so tight with people, teenagers, adults, and even the elderly gathered around in a circle, spinning around and dancing together.

Video Credit: Evelyn Kim

As exciting and cheerful as this day was, it was only the beginning of the endless chaos within South Korea’s politics. It wouldn’t be until April 4th, 2025, when Yoon was completely removed from office. The country would be divided once again prior to the presidential election in June 2025. Scandals involving Yoon and his wife, Kim Keon-Hee, are yet to be entirely unveiled.

That night, I realized what freedom of speech truly meant. It gave us the right to express our own ideas and opinions without being punished. It is a critical aspect of democracy and prevents controlling powers. However, I’ve never noticed how much power the people’s voices held. In the protest that I attended, the voices and chants for Yoon’s impeachment did not go unheard. Countless people fought to bring truth to the surface, and it worked.

And this brings me to wonder: How is South Korea’s freedom of speech different from other countries, like the U.S. or North Korea? What does it take to bring truth to light and to remove corrupt individuals from power? Are the people’s voices really heard in other places where the media is completely controlled by the government? 

I am in a privileged position where I can express my thoughts and questions without fear. And as a teen who experienced examples of political justice first-hand, I wonder how people my age can contribute and be involved in society and politics. 

Many people claim that we are too young to understand many aspects of it, and it is true. Most of our beliefs are influenced by our surroundings, such as friends, family, and education, and they could shape the way we think forever. 

However, I also believe that being informed and involved in real-world issues from a young age should be normalized. With us being the next generation to partake in society, we should not be sitting in silence, ignorant of the things going on around us. 

We live in a world that is divided by different beliefs, ideas, and positions. As teenagers, we should question everything we’ve learned so that we can learn more about ourselves and build our own stance. From now on, we should start exploring different perspectives and understanding the diversity of the world.

Works Cited

Park, Joon Ha. “What to Make of Reports Yoon Suk-Yeol Plotted to Provoke North Korean Attack | NK News.” NK News - North Korea News, 26 Dec. 2024, www.nknews.org/2024/12/what-to-make-of-reports-yoon-suk-yeol-plotted-to-provoke-north-korean-attack/.

Kwak Yeon-soo. “Military Affairs Expert-Turned-Lawmaker Calls South Korean President’s Martial Law “Shocking, Wrong.”” Koreatimes.co.kr, The Korea Times, 22 Jan. 2025, www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/defense/20250122/interview-military-affairs-expert-turned-lawmaker-calls-south-korean-presidents-martial-law-shocking-wrong. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

Lee, Jian, et al. ““Listen to Us”: Scores of Protesters Urge Parliament to Impeach Yoon Suk Yeol.” Joins.com, 14 Dec. 2024, https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-12-14/national/politics/Listen-to-us-Scores-of-protesters-urge-parliament-to-impeach-Yoon/2200662. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

Lim, Andyp, et al. “Yoon Declares Martial Law in South Korea.” Csis.org, 3 Dec. 2024, www.csis.org/analysis/yoon-declares-martial-law-south-korea. 

Mackenzie, Jean. “The Unravelling of South Korea’s Martial Law President.” BBC, 4 Apr. 2025, www.bbc.com/news/articles/c86py30qezvo.

Nadjibulla, Vina, and Erin Williams. “Democracy under Pressure: Yoon’s Failed Martial Law and South Korea’s Political Turmoil.” Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, 10 Dec. 2024, www.asiapacific.ca/publication/explainer-yoons-failed-martial-law-decree-future-impacts. 

Reuters Staff. “South Korea Stocks Slide as President Yoon’s Failed Martial Law Bid Stokes Turmoil.” Reuters, 4 Dec. 2024, www.reuters.com/markets/asia/south-korea-stocks-slide-president-yoons-failed-martial-law-bid-stokes-turmoil-2024-12-04/. 

Shim Sun-ah. “(3rd LD) S. Koreans Hold Nationwide Rallies Demanding Yoon’s Impeachment.” Yonhap News Agency, 14 Dec. 2024, en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20241214001253315. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

“Late President Rhee’s Son Apologizes to April 19 Revolution Victims.” Koreatimes.co.kr, The Korea Times, Sept. 2023, www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/politics/20230901/late-president-rhees-son-apologizes-to-april-19-revolution-victims. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

“Trauma Endures of Gwangju Uprising - the Korea Times.” Koreatimes.co.kr, 2020, www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/politics/20200517/trauma-endures-of-gwangju-uprising. 

Yeon-woo, Lee. “History of South Korea’s Martial Law Declarations.” Koreatimes.co.kr, The koreatimes Times, 4 Dec. 2024, www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/politics/20241204/history-of-south-koreas-martial-law-declarations. 

“#7 - 4.19 the April Revolution.” School of Languages, Literatures, Cultures & Linguistics, 16 Apr. 2024, www.monash.edu/arts/languages-literatures-cultures-linguistics/korean-studies-research-hub/research/on-this-day-in-korean-history/7-4.19-the-april-revolution.