From martial law to majoritarian rule: South Korea’s defining political year



Analysis From martial law to majoritarian rule: South Korea’s defining political year How courts, prosecutors and elections reshaped authority after the collapse of Yoon Suk Yeol’s presidency Joon Ha ParkDecember 26, 2025 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON A collage of ROK President Lee Jae Myung, Constitutional Court justices during an April 2025 session, pro-Yoon and pro-impeachment rallies, Yonhap News TV’s breaking news coverage of then-President Yoon Suk Yeol’s Jan. 2025 arrest, the National Assembly chamber, and a polling booth from the June 3 presidential election \| Image: Lee Jae Myung via Facebook (Aug. 15, 2025), Constitutional Court of Korea (April 4, 2025), Korea Pro file photo (Jan. 19, 2025 / June 3, 2025), Park Chan-dae via Facebook (March 15, 2025), Korea Pro (Jan. 15, 2025), ROK Presidential Office (June 26, 2025), edited by Korea Pro South Korea’s political system endured significant upheaval in 2025. A year that began with the arrest of a sitting president and ended with the conclusion of an insurrection probe transformed crisis management into a governing logic, normalizing legal confrontation, institutional brinkmanship and permanent political mobilization. This review examines 15 moments that defined that shift, tracing how impeachment, prosecutions and leadership turnover reshaped not only the balance of power, but the incentives that now govern South Korean politics. © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. LATEST ANALYSIS 01Samsung, SK Hynix rejection exposes South Korea’s chip-grid financing problem 02Trump’s Cheongung social media post tests Seoul’s refusal to arm to Ukraine 03Lee Jae Myung risks public trust as South Korea rewires its justice system 04South Korea turns to Central Asia as Iran war tests its energy resilience 05Houthi seizure of Mokha sharpens South Korea’s Hormuz deployment dilemma 06Japan’s stronger yen may cut Korea’s import bill while raising funding costs 07South Korea leans on Europe as Hormuz deployment choices grow narrower 08Hanwha’s Austal bid shows where South Korea’s MASGA plan may be heading

Analysis

From martial law to majoritarian rule: South Korea’s defining political year

How courts, prosecutors and elections reshaped authority after the collapse of Yoon Suk Yeol’s presidency

Joon Ha ParkDecember 26, 2025

From martial law to majoritarian rule: South Korea’s defining political year

A collage of ROK President Lee Jae Myung, Constitutional Court justices during an April 2025 session, pro-Yoon and pro-impeachment rallies, Yonhap News TV’s breaking news coverage of then-President Yoon Suk Yeol’s Jan. 2025 arrest, the National Assembly chamber, and a polling booth from the June 3 presidential election | Image: Lee Jae Myung via Facebook (Aug. 15, 2025), Constitutional Court of Korea (April 4, 2025), Korea Pro file photo (Jan. 19, 2025 / June 3, 2025), Park Chan-dae via Facebook (March 15, 2025), Korea Pro (Jan. 15, 2025), ROK Presidential Office (June 26, 2025), edited by Korea Pro

South Korea’s political system endured significant upheaval in 2025. A year that began with the arrest of a sitting president and ended with the conclusion of an insurrection probe transformed crisis management into a governing logic, normalizing legal confrontation, institutional brinkmanship and permanent political mobilization.

This review examines 15 moments that defined that shift, tracing how impeachment, prosecutions and leadership turnover reshaped not only the balance of power, but the incentives that now govern South Korean politics.

From martial law to majoritarian rule: South Korea’s defining political year

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Joon Ha Park