Declaring martial law in a stable and boisterous democracy was an audacious gamble – and one that appears to have backfired spectacularly for South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol. Now, the former prosecutor and conservative firebrand’s political career hangs by a thread, with an impeachment motion against him underway and the country’s leader rapidly losing support even within his own ruling party. Dramatic scenes from South Korea on Tuesday night showed military helicopters landing near the National Assembly in the capital Seoul, soldiers breaking through windows to try and prevent lawmakers from gathering, and protesters confronting riot police. But the operation was unsuccessful. TV stations and news media continued to report unhindered, people traveled freely and there were no mass arrests. When lawmakers voted to overturn Yoon’s surprise decree, security forces backed away. In the days since the streets of Seoul have been busy with commuter traffic, there was little…
