Seouls constitutionalcrisis has upset East Asias security status quo

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s misuse of his authority to declare martial law earlier this month has placed his nation in a constitutional crisis that will have a lasting impact on US strategic interests across Asia just as Donald Trump returns to the White House.Yoon’s martial law decree was quickly rescinded and South Korea’s constitutional system prevailed.But martial law is serious business, hardly the act of a mature, first-tier democracy, and South Korea’s reputation as a stable, regional partner has suffered.Yoon invoked martial law against, as he described it, “anti-state forces” among his political opponents.

But rather than a response to armed attack or domestic emergency, Yoon’s actions resulted from frustration with an obstructionist opposition party that enjoys a majority in the legislature.Yoon’s debacle conjured images of South Korea’s dark authoritarian past with lingering questions of whether it could happen again.Doubts have now arisen over the stability of South Korea’s government; the country’s currency also plunged amid the ongoing political uncertainty.

Most worrisome, there are concerns that North Korea might try to exploit the political turmoil to undertake greater military provocations against its neighboring foe.South Korea’s parliament on Saturday impeached Yoon, a move that ended days of political paralysis but set up an intense debate over his fate.Yoon’s presidential powers were suspended and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, the country’s No.2,  took over presidential powers later Saturday.Yoon’s entire cabinet resigned in protest to his martial law melee and his defense minister, Kim Yong-hyun, was arrested for treason.

Yoon is now facing his own criminal treason inquiry — one that would be exempt from presidential immunity.Public opinion polls show 73% of South Koreans favor impeaching Yoon, whose approval ratings have fallen to a dismal 13%.South Korea is now a nation in the midst of politica...