By resisting arrest, South Korea’s president challenges democracy

AFTER YOON SUK YEOL’S attempt in early December to impose martial law on South Korea failed, two stories emerged. One was a tale of vulnerability: an assault on democracy by the president himself is worrying, even if it falters. The other was about resilience: South Korea’s democratic institutions rose to the challenge, with citizens rallying and lawmakers taking action to stop the self-coup and, eventually, to impeach the president. In the immediate, bleary-eyed aftermath, the resilient parts of the country seemed dominant.