SEOUL — The events that have unfolded in South Korea this month, beginning with President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, have underscored both the remarkable resilience and underlying fragility of the country's democracy. The system survived this time, but no democracy is safe if it constantly faces severe stress tests.
First, the good news. The National Assembly quickly passed a resolution to rescind Yoon's declaration of martial law. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets to protest Yoon's decision and pressure lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party (PPP) to support his impeachment. Their efforts worked: while PPP representatives walked out of the Assembly during the first impeachment vote, they supported the motion the second time, and it passed.
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