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'Not a single shot fired': World reactions to Korean martial law drama

By Song Seung-hyun

Published : Dec. 4, 2024 - 11:17

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A gate to the National Assembly after lawmakers voted against Yoon's declaration of martial law on Wednesday (Yonhap) A gate to the National Assembly after lawmakers voted against Yoon's declaration of martial law on Wednesday (Yonhap)

The six-hour high-stakes political drama that unfolded in Seoul from Tuesday to Wednesday left onlookers worldwide scrambling for answers.

On X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, reactions poured in. For many, the sequence of events seemed dizzying.

One viral post by user @MyLordBebo, titled “Summary of the crazy events in South Korea,” garnered over 945,000 views, accompanied by a video of armed soldiers clashing with lawmakers in the National Assembly.

In response to this post, user @wendy_beveridge was puzzled commenting “So as far as I understand it, the pro-North Korea side won here? That doesn’t sound like a good idea.”

Others, like @bobken9, asked, "Which side are the good guys?"

Confusion about the timeline persisted as well, with @Alejandroaloo asking, “Wait, so martial law is still in effect?”

While some marveled at the speed of events, others expressed lingering concerns.

“That was fast! But can this really settle the storm, or is this just the calm before the chaos?” asked @amangoxbt on X.

Personal anxieties also crept in, with user @Tesla420069 saying “Damn, I’m flying out to South Korea in a couple of months. Hopefully, things will go back to normal by then.”

Some users praised the rapid reversal as a testament to South Korea’s democratic resilience, noting the absence of any major violence.

“South Korea just gave the world a masterclass in democracy under fire: MPs climbing fences, people power prevailing, and the military stepping back. History books are gonna love this one,” wrote @barfield_gina.

User @AskAKorean noted, “Martial law over with not a single shot fired. This is how civilized countries do it.”

Similarly, @srazasethi wrote, “South Korea. Zero shots were fired by security forces.”