Rep. Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), has introduced the issue of martial law into the national political debate. The public will soon judge whether his concerns are justified. During a meeting on Sunday with Han Dong-hoon, head of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), Lee raised the topic of martial law. He noted that there had been discussions about it in the past, specifically referencing a 2017 proposal that included plans to arrest and detain opposition lawmakers to prevent them from obstructing the declaration of martial law. While Lee framed his comments as simply mentioning ongoing discussions, he implied that there might be a conspiracy within the ruling bloc to impose martial law. In response, Han demanded that Lee provide concrete evidence to support his claims or be held accountable. The presidential office condemned the comment, and publicly asked if Lee's comments were an attempt to build a case for President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment.

For a country that has endured periods of authoritarian rule and martial law, where pro-democracy activists and citizens risked their lives to build a democratic society, the reemergence of such ideas is deeply troubling. The claims have been bolstered by Rep. Kim Byung-joo, Supreme Council member Rep. Kim Min-seok, and others. However, when a party leader and potential candidate for the 2027 presidential election speaks on the matter, his words carry even more weight.

According to the DPK, reports are being submitted to the party regarding the current situation. The party is also revisiting a similar scenario from 2017, during the Park Geun-hye administration, when the former Defense Security Command drafted a contingency plan that included the possibility of martial law amid Park's impeachment crisis. Former President Moon Jae-in, who succeeded Park, ordered a special investigation into this matter in 2018. This investigation, which involved over 200 individuals, ultimately resulted in no conspiracy charges being filed.

Viewed in the most positive light, Lee's comment could be seen as evidence that Korea's democracy is vibrant and resilient. It reflects the freedom to bring even the most contentious or speculative political discussions from social media and the broader political sphere into the national debate. This openness suggests that the democratic process is robust to handle diverse and provocative ideas, including those driven by political maneuvering.

In the context of Korea's democracy and its per capita national income approaching $40,000, discussions about martial law could be seen as politically opportunistic, potentially disrespectful, and harmful to the public discourse. While the possibility of martial law does exist within the framework of the Constitution — for instance, it can be declared during wartime or national emergencies — the ruling bloc understands that even the suggestion of such measures could jeopardize the administration. Under the Constitution, the president has the authority to impose martial law, but it must be lifted immediately if the National Assembly votes to repeal it by a majority. The DPK holds 170 of the 300 seats in the legislature.

The DPK's concerns about potential martial law are also fueled by contentious reshuffles in key national defense and counterintelligence positions. Yoon has appointed Kim Yong-hyun, his former chief of the Presidential Security Service, as the new defense minister, and Yeo In-hyung as the chief of the Defense Counterintelligence Command, formerly the Defense Security Command. Both Kim and Yeo, along with Yoon, are graduates of the same high school. Additionally, Yoon has reassigned Shin Won-sik, the former defense minister who faced criticism for intelligence failures, to the role of National Security Council director. This move, critics say, exemplifies a troubling trend of nepotism.

As the main opposition party, the DPK is within its rights to scrutinize the president's frequent reshuffles and the perceived narrow talent pool from which he draws his appointees. It's understandable that the DPK leader, facing judicial risks, might feel the need to rally the party and its core supporters. However, even in Korea's deeply polarized political landscape, there is a need for a baseline of political decency. The nation's political history has been marked by fearmongering and the real imposition of martial law, most recently in 1979. Both the country and its leaders must learn from these historical experiences to avoid repeating past mistakes.