President Yoon Suk-yeol’s martial law declaration on the evening of Dec. 3 sent shockwaves reverberating around the world. For many international observers, it was seen as part of a broader trend of right-wing leaders instigating democratic reversals.

But in South Korea, it was a blast from the past. The words “martial law” were thought to be consigned to history textbooks. Older South Koreans recalled the curfews and campus protests of their youth.