In South Korea, the lessons of the 1980 Gwangju Democratic Uprising remain deeply ingrained in the national consciousness. During the uprising, soldiers killed at least 166 civilians, mostly students, with no immediate accountability. Over the decades, South Korea undertook a painful but important process of reckoning, including trials of former presidents, truth commissions, and public education. Memorials and school lessons instilled a collective understanding that power must answer to the people, creating a culture where state wrongdoing would not go unpunished.
This historical memory proved crucial on December 3, 2024, when then-President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law and deployed troops to the National Assembly. Within hours, civilians took to the streets, soldiers hesitated or refused unlawful orders, and lawmakers prioritized constitutional duty over the presidential command. The swift, six-hour response, culminating in the unanimous lifting of martial law, demonstrated the tangible effects of decades of accountability measures and civic education.
The soldiers who refused to follow orders acted not just on moral impulse but on institutionalized lessons from Gwangju. They understood that unlawful commands would no longer be immune from scrutiny, and that fidelity to the constitution and rule of law outweighed blind obedience. Civilians actively intervened to protect lawmakers and document events, relying on decades of precedent showing that accountability mechanisms, though imperfect, could function under pressure.
The events of that night highlighted the importance of demonstrating accountability through concrete actions, not rhetoric. South Korea’s experience shows that prosecuting leaders who abuse power, protecting those demanding answers, and teaching the consequences of impunity are critical to safeguarding democracy. The success of the December 3 resistance underscores the value of long-term civic trust in institutions built through sustained accountability efforts.
While challenges remain—including ongoing trials, unresolved questions about military and police conduct, and political divisions—the episode offers a vital lesson for countries facing authoritarian threats: accountability must be tangible, visible, and enforced to prevent abuses of power and to protect democratic systems. South Korea’s 40-year journey demonstrates that when accountability is real, it can hold even in moments of acute crisis.
