South Korea’s president is tightening his grip on the police
Yoon Suk-yeol, a former top prosecutor, would like his powers back
The disgruntled in South Korea have long shaved their heads. The tonsure, a symbol of sacrifice, works as a form of passive resistance. Hence the number of dissident officials and put-upon shopkeepers who ask their friends to wield a defiant razor before the cameras. Hence, too, the scene last month outside the headquarters of the National Police Agency (npa) in Seoul, the capital, as the locks of four officers fell on capes bearing the words “Withdraw the mois police bureau. Guarantee police neutrality.”
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “The crownless again shall be king”
Asia August 13th 2022
- The nuclear arsenals of China, India and Pakistan are growing
- South Korea’s president is tightening his grip on the police
- Australia’s leader wants to include Aboriginals in the constitution
- Papua New Guinea conducts its worst election ever
- How not to administer justice after a brutal civil war
- Afghanistan is poorer and hungrier than a year ago
From the August 13th 2022 edition
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