Did South Korean President Just Stage a Coup for Love? China Says It’s a Political Disaster in the Making

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration and subsequent lifting of martial law have captured significant attention from major Chinese media outlets, which have provided real-time coverage of the unfolding situation.

These outlets are live-streaming events from outside the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, while simultaneously publishing in-depth analyses of the crisis’s causes and potential ramifications. The live broadcasts have garnered hundreds of thousands of views across various Chinese social media platforms, including Baidu.

On Wednesday, Xinhua News Agency published an article titled “Winter in Seoul: Yoon Suk Yeol’s 6-Hour Martial Law Farce,” providing a blow-by-blow account of events. The piece likened the drama to a real-life sequel to 12.12: The Day, a film synonymous with South Korea’s political turbulence, and spotlighted growing polarization in the country’s politics.

Niu Tanqin, a Xinhua-affiliated social media account, didn’t mince words. It called the martial law declaration a virtual coup and criticized Yoon’s direct involvement. The account speculated that the declaration was tied to First Lady Kim Keon Hee, even sarcastically suggesting that such “grand gestures for love” don’t just happen in movies.

Some analysts believe Yoon’s move was a preemptive strike ahead of a re-vote on a special investigation law targeting his wife, scheduled for next week.

Media across Greater China have echoed the sense of political fallout. The South China Morning Post argued that Yoon may have ended his political career effectively. At the same time, Taiwan’s United Daily News called it a chilling nine-hour ordeal, drawing comparisons to the political unrest seen in Spring in Seoul nearly half a century ago.

On social media, Chinese netizens are glued to the story. Searches related to South Korea’s martial law trended all day on platforms like Baidu and Weibo, reflecting the intense public interest in Yoon’s tumultuous moment on the global stage.