[Initial View] Yoon Seok-yeol vs Yoon Seok-yeol

"If I officially assume the presidency, I will respect the spirit of the Constitution, respect the National Assembly, cooperate with the opposition parties, and serve the people well."

March 10, 2022. The acceptance speech of Yoon Seok-yeol, the President-elect of the Republic of Korea, was summarized as respect for the Constitution, respect for the legislature, and cooperation with the opposition. It was his official statement after narrowly defeating the second-place candidate by the smallest margin in history (0.73 percentage points, about 250,000 votes).

Yonhap News

He also said this: He learned a lot during the election campaign. What is necessary to become the leader of the country, and how to listen carefully to the voices of the people. Since all of our elections and competitions are for the people, we must all unite for the people and the Republic of Korea.

Compared to the acceptance speeches of past presidents, Yoon’s remarks at the time were somewhat unusual. He seemed to humble himself, conscious of his narrow victory margin, and instead of talking about the policies or philosophies he promoted during the campaign, he mentioned the 'Constitution,' giving off the aura of a principled legal professional.

"I will communicate more with a humbler attitude and greater flexibility."

On April 16, six days after the general election ended on April 10, President Yoon spoke again. He said that the government must humbly accept the opinions of the people expressed through the general election, and if the people do not feel actual change despite the government’s best efforts, then the government has failed in its role. He reflected inwardly on the causes of the election defeat and expressed a voice of self-reflection.

How about on the diplomatic stage? He repeatedly stated, leaving a clear impression, "I oppose changing the status quo by force." Although this was diplomatic rhetoric that formed the core of the joint statement at the 2023 G7 Summit, President Yoon mentioned it earlier at the November 2022 Korea-ASEAN Summit, in his keynote speech at the UN General Assembly in September of the same year, and in an interview with a foreign media outlet before his visit to the U.S. in April last year. 'Changing the status quo by force' is a general concept referring to attempts to alter the situation using military force. Here, 'status quo' includes already agreed promises and order. To be specific, President Yoon proposed a solution that "attempts to change the status quo by force, which disregards freedom, must be met with resolute solidarity."

The president, who will face impeachment proceedings for the third time in constitutional history in December 2024, now says he will "go all the way." In a statement issued immediately after the National Assembly passed the impeachment motion on the 14th, he emphasized with a hardline stance that the declaration of martial law was due to the previous administration and opposition parties.

In the Republic of Korea, where no one can guarantee how long his political life will last, only the 'original intention (初心)' is certain to his supporters and himself. The original intention of President Yoon, recorded in words and writings from the past, clearly had a different face from now. Ordinary citizens who witnessed the martial troops suddenly breaking the windows of the National Assembly and occupying constitutional institutions just a month before the New Year, self-employed people, the business community, and the capital market cannot help but feel disillusioned as they recall President Yoon’s old remarks.