South Koreans are reporting increasing signs of psychological distress in the wake of the sudden declaration of martial law on December 3. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Dec. 11 (Korea Bizwire) – South Koreans are reporting increasing signs of psychological distress in the wake of the sudden declaration of martial law on December 3, with many citizens describing symptoms of anxiety and sleeplessness as the nation grapples with its most significant political crisis in decades.
For many older South Koreans, the declaration has reopened wounds from the country’s authoritarian past. “Staying awake until 2 a.m. has become my new normal,” said Choi, 58, who attended university in the 1980s. In an interview, he described compulsively checking news updates whenever he wakes up during the night.
“Encountering martial law again after 45 years, when my memories of it were already fading, has left me deeply shaken. The discussions about potential regional conflict only amplify the anxiety.”
The psychological impact extends to younger generations who have no direct experience with martial law. Song Sung-hoon, 30, an office worker, described the profound shock of witnessing the failed impeachment vote during weekend candlelight protests.
“My colleagues can barely focus on work,” he said, though he added that he feels uncomfortable characterizing his experience as “impeachment trauma” given the gravity of the situation.
The crisis has also affected families with young children. One 39-year-old office worker, identified only as Shin, expressed concern about their 4-year-old child who repeatedly asks about the identity of martial law forces after witnessing them breaking windows to enter the National Assembly building.
Mental health experts warn that this “martial law trauma” could potentially develop into collective post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Professor Lim Myung-ho of Dankook University’s Psychology Department noted that even young people who have never experienced martial law could develop trauma through observational learning.
“They might begin avoiding the National Assembly building or military personnel as scenes they’ve witnessed on TV continue to resurface,” he said.
The political crisis has also deepened existing social divisions, particularly within families. At an anti-impeachment rally in front of Donghwa Duty Free Shop in Seoul’s Jongno district, an 82-year-old participant named Choi lamented the generational divide in his own family.
“My son in his 40s, influenced by left-leaning education, blindly calls the president a dictator,” he said, expressing frustration at their inability to find common ground over allegations of election fraud.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
