[Reporter’s Notebook] The World Has Become a Bit More Equal

As the year, truly eventful in every sense, draws to a close, one cannot help but reflect on its tumultuous beginning with the shocking event of the December 3 Martial Law. What has our society experienced and what will it remember from this year? The destination at the end of a year marked by countless acts of resistance and anguish ultimately led us to the self-evident truth that "no one stands above another, and no one stands below another."

The constitutional crisis brought on by martial law escalated into the impeachment of the president, the execution of an arrest warrant, and the ensuing resistance and chaos. The intense conflict that arose during this process was painful for us, but paradoxically, it also sparked a desperate struggle to restore order. While blind obedience to absolute power fueled confusion, the resolute defiance against unjust authority became the driving force that put our society back on track.

This outcome was achieved through the recognition that even a president one supports can make mistakes, the realization that unlawful orders from superiors can be refused, and the courage to choose loyalty to institutions over submission to individuals. Even during last year's martial law, resistance-both visible and invisible-against irrational orders prevented the crisis from escalating into tragedy and instead paved the way toward the restoration of order.

The wave of change continued even after the change of government. The controversy over a cabinet nominee's abuse of power cast a shadow over the new administration's launch, but it also led to cracks in the absolute power of lawmakers who could tell their aides to "pack your bags" at any moment. The downfall of the ruling party's second-in-command, once believed to be all-powerful, amid a steady drip of allegations, was also a significant moment. It served as a reminder that both authority and power must ultimately be based on the consent of the people. The public's outrage against incomprehensible injustice broke through the fortress of entrenched power and generated the momentum for change.

Change was also felt throughout society. The unique relationship between celebrities and managers, once likened to that of master and servant, was now being called into question by the public's standards. People no longer bowed unconditionally before the names of celebrities or employers.

The world is changing. With technological advances, records of conversations can now be shared by both parties, not just the one giving orders. Unjust instructions can now serve as evidence of abuse of power, and the channels of communication once monopolized by the powerful have been opened to the vulnerable through various media and social networking services (SNS). Yet, even in this changed environment, the final obstacle that remained was a vague fear of authority. For a long time, that fear made silence seem like wisdom.

However, witnessing the collapse of bastions of authority this year, we can sense that the world has changed. Rather than blindly submitting to authority, we are moving into an era where people can think and choose for themselves. The era of bowing down without question is coming to an end.