On the night of December 5th, the students of Seoul National University gathered in the fields of Acropolis to demand the resignation of President Yoon Suk-yeol: a protest against Yoon’s abrupt declaration of emergency martial law on the night of the 3rd. “This is the first instance of an imposition of martial law since the establishment of the latest constitution in 1987: an evident threat to democracy,” stated the Student Council President Kim Min-gyu. “The President of our country has an obligation to protect the basic rights of citizens and the democratic process, yet his decision endangered such values. Under martial law, the freedom of press, protest, and speech are limited, threatening the university’s academic freedom and democratic values,” he continued. 

In response to the— now lifted —martial law imposition, the Student Council called for a General Student Assembly on the resignation of President Yoon at Acropolis field, near the central library. The student body voted on the following statement from the Student Council to President Yoon to resign from his presidential position: 

“Based on the decision to be made by the student body, we intend to draft a statement including the following points and demand the resignation of Yoon Suk-yeol.

• Condemn Yoon’s declaration of emergency martial law and hold him accountable for failing his presidential obligation to defend constitutional values.
• Oppose any actions that disrupt constitutional order, and strive to restore democracy by advocating Yoon’s resignation.
• Declare our commitment to protect students as Seoul National University’s Student Council. 

All members of Seoul National University must unite in defense of academic freedom and democratic principles. Through the adoption of this statement, we sincerely hope our university will play a meaningful role in restoring our nation’s democracy.” 

(Student Council Statement Pamphlet, Translated by Quill)

The General Student Assembly is the highest decision-making body of SNU’s student population. Requiring 10% of the total student body to participate for any decisions to be validated, an astonishing 2,707 students (17.8%) stood in the fields of Acropolis. Out of the total 2,556 votes, 2,516 voted for the resignation requisition, 4 voted against, and 36 abstained, showing an overwhelming support. 

A representative from each College Department voiced their support for the resignation request. A student from the College of Education urged others to “remember the spirit of 1987,” stating: “The actions of our predecessors in Acropolis have led to a triumph of liberal democracy, a gift that remains on our campus. Though we may have taken this freedom for granted, we are back here united to demand the resignation of President Yoon… Human life ends with the last beat of the heart, but the life of our nation continues by the martyrs of history; one that will perish the moment we lose the spirit of democracy.” A student from the College of Social Sciences expressed how Yoon “declared war against his own people,” hence, “He is not my president, nor is a country that legitimizes his presidency.” Another student added, “Though we are here to condemn Yoon’s behavior, it is not in support of either political party,” sending a message to the press, “do not distort our political beliefs.” A student from the College of Natural Science not only condemned Yoon’s actions on the 3rd, but also criticized policies imposed during his presidency, specifically the reduction of R&D funding. 

“For the Resignation of Yoon Suk-yeol” Photograph by Shin Hye-won

General Student Assemblies have been called during significant affairs to collect student opinions or discuss collective measures. The first assembly was held in February 1980 to discuss the future of the Student National Defense Corps and fight for academic democratization, adopting a resolution titled, “Our Commitment to Academic Democratization.” Later that year in May, another assembly brought 12,000 students to Acropolis in response to emergency martial law to debate the government’s revision of the constitution. While General Student Assemblies in the 1900s reflected the period’s political instability and students’ efforts to protect democracy, the assemblies of the 2000s shifted towards pragmatic, internal affairs. This includes the protests against rise of tuition rates in 2005, opposition to the corporatization of SNU in 2011, and the discussion of the Siheung campus implementation agreement in 2016. During the former President Park Geun-hye scandal, instead of a student assembly, students opted for a class boycott and protest at the Grass Square.

University students have been, historically, at the forefront of Korean democracy: from its establishment to its continuation. The General Assembly of December 5th marks a rare yet uniting moment among students, echoing the activism of previous generations. In the fields of Acropolis, the voices of over two thousand students cried with a clear demand: “Yoon Suk-Yeol, resign!”

This article was co-written by Hyun Joo-young (Editor-in-Chief) and Kim Ji-woo (SNUS Editor)