You might think the United States government is in shambles, that President Donald Trump’s policies are already tearing the nation apart one by one, and that increasingly partisan perspectives are deepening the divide amongst our people.
Now, take a look at South Korean politics. You’ll see an eerily similar version of our political plight, complete with its own Trump and his supporters.
Yoon Suk Yeol’s short-lived imposition of martial law on Dec. 3, 2024, and his resulting impeachment and arrest, inspired South Korea’s very own Jan. 6. Yoon’s declaration stemmed from his intentions to root out “anti-state forces” and overcome political deadlock.
On Jan. 19, 2025, rioters stormed a district court building in Seoul, attacking police officers and broadcast journalists with riot shields and wall tiles.
Carrying both U.S. and South Korean flags, along with MAGA-inspired red baseball caps and signs reading “Stop the Steal,” protestors demonstrated the level of influence Trump and his extremist supporters have on the international landscape.
On the day of Yoon’s planned arrest, protestors barricaded police from Yoon’s home, urged onward by Yoon’s letter in which he wrote, “I am watching your efforts through real-time YouTube broadcasts” and “I will fight until the end to protect this country together with you.”
It’s an eerie reminder of Trump’s X posts following the insurrection on the capitol calling for “great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated” to “remember this day forever.”
A legitimate shutdown of Yoon’s authoritarian declaration was highly contested — even outright denied — by his fanatical supporters. So was the count of valid ballots in the 2020 election by Trump and his followers. Not only is modern-day political extremism characterized by violence and partisanship, but its participants are also rejecting the acknowledgment of simple facts and taking to the streets to engage in meaningless resistance.
When I discuss South Korean politics with friends unfamiliar with the nation’s political state, I rarely encounter the expected reactions of surprise or shock — rather, there’s a general atmosphere of understanding and shared humor in their responses.
This only goes to show how messy our own political sphere is, and how numb we’ve become to insane stunts pulled by our nation’s primary figures of authority. The U.S.’s recent undertakings, particularly in the context of Trump’s controversial policies, are inspiring political groups such as Yoon and his followers to support an illiberal democracy by using increasingly violent measures.
Our principles, most notably our representative democracy, have been lauded and replicated by dozens of countries — South Korea being one of them. Our actions and policies are studied and scrutinized globally, and often placed on a pedestal of freedom, equity and democracy.
The U.S. is no longer just a spectator of global political turmoil — it’s an active participant and in recent years, a disgrace to our reputation of democratic ideals.
The similarities are striking, to say the least. South Korea’s political landscape poses a frightening premonition for the future of U.S. democracy under Trump.
Alice Oh is a Medill and Bienen sophomore. She can be contacted at [email protected]. If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Letter to the Editor to [email protected]. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.