The arrest of President Yoon Suk Yeol and ongoing political turmoil over the fallout from his botched Dec. 3 martial law declaration have sparked mixed reactions from the foreign resident community. Though some view the crisis as a temporary setback unlikely to impact the country’s long-term stability, others describe it as a significant hit to Korea’s international reputation and trust in its democratic institutions.

“I think it doesn’t matter much to the foreign community,” said Gregoire Jaquet, a Swiss national in his late 40s, who is a business development manager for a moving company, told The Korea Herald.

“But it is sad to see two presidents imprisoned in just eight years. This is unthinkable in Europe, especially in Switzerland. It tarnishes Korea’s image, making it appear underdeveloped, where politicians are consumed by pride and rivalry. This thirst for power seems rooted in evil,” continued Jaquet, who has lived in Korea for 20 years.

British author and journalist Michael Breen, 62, who has lived in Korea more than 40 years, describes the turmoil as a major blow to Yoon’s presidency.

“The martial law was rather shocking. But nobody was killed, it was late at night, quickly withdrawn, there was no internet cutoff, no roadblocks. The main damage it did was to Yoon’s presidency,” he said.

“He seemed to be frustrated at the Assembly, where the Democratic Party has a majority. That’s understandable, but doesn’t justify suspending normal law,” he continued.

Breen expressed surprise at seeing multiple agencies launching their own investigations instead of waiting for the Constitutional Court’s ruling.

“It points to the weakness that I see in Korean democracy, which is that the legal system is subordinate to political pressure. That pressure can come from the presidency, but it more likely comes from ‘public sentiment,'” according to him.

But when asked about Korea’s democratic institutions, Breen was optimistic.

“I think this is an opportunity for Korea to upgrade its democracy. I don’t see any long-term negative effects,” he said.

Another foreign resident, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed admiration for the peaceful nature of the demonstrations. However, this resident noted that due to Yoon’s martial law declaration, “the trust in Korea’s institutions in fact has been damaged in a pretty serious way.”

The foreign business community echoed similar sentiments, stressing their long-term outlook despite the political turmoil.

“For most foreign companies, operations continue unaffected. High-level meetings with government officials have reassured businesses of Korea’s commitment to supporting foreign investment,” said a foreign national resident from the business community, also requesting anonymity.

“Anyhow, for companies doing business in and with Korea, there is almost no change in their business operation, as their business approach is not short- but long-term,” they said.

They also noted that high-level meetings with officials like South Korean Trade, Industry, and Energy Minister Ahn Dukgeun and acting President Choi Sang-mok reassured businesses of the government’s commitment to supporting foreign investment.

According to Jose Pinto, 49, a freelance marketing consultant from Portugal who has lived in Korea two years, the fact that high-ranking officials in business and politics have been investigated, tried and convicted by the justice system in Korea, shows that institutions work properly.

“This situation highlights that no one is above the law,” noted Pinto, and that “The public is keenly committed to democracy.”

But according to him, Korean politics seem to have gotten polarized, without much room for tolerance or compromise.

“The political speech feels overly extreme and uncompromising, much like the countless churches that hoard their faithful with extreme zeal — us against them,” he continued.

Anton Scholz from Germany, general manager of local consulting firm Korea-Consult, and living in Korea for over 25 years, said the social order seems to have been shaken, pointing to the Jan. 19 mob attack on a Seoul court the day a formal warrant was issued to arrest Yoon.

“The recent events are disturbing. The social order seems shaken, and there’s a power vacuum at a critical time when Korea needs strong leadership,” he said, calling the mob attack a sign of eroding trust in the law.

“Korea’s international reputation has taken a significant hit. It took decades to build a positive global image and only weeks to damage it. The coming months will be crucial for restoring trust and stability,” he told The Korea Herald.

Asia News Network/The Korea Herald