South Korea’s martial law crisis has revealed a deeply concerning weakness within the country’s military establishment, casting doubt on the institution’s political neutrality and underscoring the urgent need for structural reform.

Former President Yoon Suk-yeol’s attempted martial law exposed the alarming ease with which political leaders can exploit military authority for personal ends. His attempt to use soldiers to storm the National Assembly and block investigations at his residence marked the most serious test of military neutrality since South Korea’s democratization.

While many rank-and-file soldiers refrained from employing violence against civilians, opposition lawmakers or prosecutors, analysts warn that the events