Visiting mother in December, 2024
On December 3, 2024, three days before my trip to Korea, President Yoon of South Korea declared martial law. Just 2.5 hours later, the National Assembly voted to nullify it. By the time I arrived in Korea on December 7, 2024, the National Assembly had failed to pass an impeachment vote, as members of the President’s party walked out. However, on December 14, 2024, two days before my departure, the National Assembly successfully impeached President Yoon on their second attempt.
From the day I arrived until my departure (December 16), the situation dominated every TV channel, with continuous coverage of the crisis and special investigations by National Assembly members. The broadcasts also featured scenes of demonstrations by many citizens. One of my close friends told me her daughter, who had just finished her SATs, joined the protests. Crowds flooded the streets to express their anger and discontent, demanding Yoon’s removal from power and imprisonment. At the same time, counter-protests from supporters of the President were also visible. On a phone call, one of my close friends shared how deeply hurt people in Korea felt by these events.
My initial impression was that President Yoon fundamentally misunderstood the reality of being the President where the opposition holds a supermajority. In his martial law speech, he said something to the effect of, “I cannot just stop executing my country saving policies when North Korea connected and corrupted opposition members block me.” (My simple paraphrase of a portion) Other than the “North Korea connection” claim, what struck me was his apparent misunderstanding of democracy. Whether this stemmed from ignorance, arrogance, or the still-developing democratic tradition in South Korea, I can’t say. His eagerness to protect his flawed wife, who seems to abuse power and cannot resist expensive bags, seemed to factor into this crisis as well. Reflecting on these events, I couldn’t help but connect them to fundamental leadership principles—self-awareness, emotional regulation, and choosing actions carefully to achieve one’s goals. Ironically, everyone said, which I agree, his approach seemed like a fast and sure way to transfer his presidential power to his political enemies, a result I doubt he intended.
My mother and I were walking Pal-dal-moon market in Suwon, Korea (12/10/2025)
During my visit, my mother watched the unfolding drama on TV often. She lives about an hour south of Seoul, away from any loud or disruptive protests. I could tell she wasn’t fully grasping all the details of the situation, though she paid close attention. I, on the other hand, only watched snippets of the investigations and paid minimal attention, though the constant coverage made it difficult to ignore.
My nine days in Korea were otherwise simple. Each morning, I had one work-related call, then spent the rest of the day with my mother. We enjoyed lunches together and went on daily walks, during which she proudly managed to walk a mile or two. One memorable restaurant we visited was Yoo Dal San (유달산), which specializes in cuisine from Jeollanam-do. The name comes from a mountain in Mokpo, the hometown of the restaurant’s owner. My mother immediately associated the name with her elementary school principal, Yoo Dal Sang, whose name sounds very similar. This connection prompted her to recall and name five other teachers, sharing vivid memories of them. I was amazed by her recall—I don’t think I can name more than two of my own elementary school teachers. And she forgets that I was here yesterday with her. Beyond spending time with my mother, I spent time walking, thinking, and writing.