South Korea: La Via Campesina Stands Firmly with Peasant Unions Mobilizing Against the President’s Anti-Democratic Dictatorial Declaration and Martial Law

La Via Campesina, the global movement of peasants and small-scale food producers, stands firmly with the Korean Peasant League, the Korean Women Peasants’ Association, and numerous other trade unions and citizen groups mobilizing against President Yoon Suk-yeol’s anti-democratic declaration and imposition of martial law.

For the first time in 44 years, martial law has been invoked by a president who, by all indications, has lost popular support. The democracy of this nation has been nurtured by the blood and sacrifices of its people—particularly its peasant and rural communities. Yet Yoon Suk-yeol is ruthlessly trampling on that hard-earned democracy.

Over the past year, peasant unions across the country have protested the government’s lackadaisical response to a worsening climate crisis, its push for cheap imports that threaten peasant livelihoods, and its promotion of corporate-oriented farming policies. This is a president who has lost the trust and support of peasant and rural communities.

While the stated reason for declaring martial law is “to eradicate pro-North Korean forces and maintain constitutional order,” all citizens—except Yoon Suk-yeol—understand the true intent behind this declaration. Yoon has resorted to the irrational and anti-democratic measure of martial law to prolong his political survival as his legitimacy crumbles.

Martial law has historically been used by the military dictatorships of Park Chung-hee and Chun Doo-hwan to suppress democracy and human rights in order to consolidate power. It is a measure that has not been invoked in the 44 years since South Korea transitioned to a formal democratic system. Faced with a crisis of his own making, Yoon Suk-yeol has essentially admitted to being an anti-democratic dictator through this desperate and unjustifiable declaration.

Yoon’s unconstitutional martial law was annulled after the National Assembly passed a resolution to repeal it with 190 votes in favor. However, despite being present at party headquarters, many of his party’s lawmakers abstained from attending the session, effectively aiding and abetting Yoon’s unconstitutional actions.

La Via Campesina stands firmly with the Korean Peasant League and the Korean Women Peasants’ Association in their demand to impeach Yoon Suk-yeol and hold his accomplices accountable.

More power to the peasants of South Korea! Reject Military Dictatorships!
Globalize the Struggle, Globalize Hope!

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