President Yoon Seok-yeol After Martial Law Incident
Aerobics Video Goes Viral During Myanmar Military Coup
On the night of the 3rd, as President Yoon Seok-yeol declared martial law and martial forces attempted to seize the National Assembly building in Yeouido, Seoul, a video filmed in front of the parliament during the 2021 Myanmar military coup has once again drawn attention.
On February 1, 2021, a physical education teacher in Myanmar recorded himself performing aerobic movements near the parliament and posted the video on his Facebook. In the 3-minute and 25-second video, he continued his aerobic routine, but around the middle of the clip, black armored vehicles were seen lining up and heading toward the parliament in the background. He appeared unaware of what was happening as he was focused on his aerobic class.
This video, capturing the awkward juxtaposition of the tragic reality of a coup and everyday human life, is circulating on SNS.
At that time, the Myanmar military rejected the general election results led by the National League for Democracy (NLD), carried out the coup, detained key figures including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint, and declared a state of emergency for one year.
Even now, three years later, Myanmar remains under the oppressive rule of the military. The military government continues to extend the state of emergency to maintain power, and clashes with resistance forces opposing the regime are intensifying. In July of this year, it announced another six-month extension of the state of emergency.
Since the coup, the military’s rule in Myanmar has become increasingly repressive. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), a human rights organization, 25,900 people have been arrested so far, with about 20,000 still detained. It is also reported that over 4,400 people have died due to military violence.
While international attention has waned over time, the resistance of Myanmar’s citizens continues.
Democratic forces and ethnic armed groups have united to oppose the military, capturing several military bases and continuing their offensive, but civilian casualties are increasing due to the military’s harsh crackdown.
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