Zealous tourists are unfazed by South Korea’s sudden martial law turmoil

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/12/2024 (297 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Many tourists in Seoul seemed largely unfazed by the political turmoil unfolding in the capital as they flocked Wednesday to the city’s largest palace, local landmarks and shopping streets.

Some awoke to worried text messages from friends and family, who heard the news about President Yoon Suk Yeol’s stunning martial law declaration Tuesday night. Yoon abruptly imposed emergency martial law, vowing to eliminate “anti-state” forces after he struggled to push forward his agenda in the opposition-dominated parliament.

But his martial law was effective for only about six hours, as the National Assembly voted to overrule the president. With the declaration formally lifted, tourists ventured from their hotels.

Early Wednesday at Gyeongbokgung Palace, the largest of royal palaces, tourists wore traditional clothing rented from nearby shops as they posed for photos.

Emma Basnawi, visiting from Indonesia, said she thought “something big might happen” when she heard about the martial law declaration, and was a little concerned. But riots and protests aren’t unusual back at home in Jakarta so she planned to stick to her itinerary as much as possible, she said.

Walking toward the palace with a tour group, Stephen Rowan, of Brisbane, Australia, said he wasn’t worried. He had asked a friend from South Korea to help him understand what was happening.

“I would have been concerned if martial law had stayed enforced,” he said.

Early Wednesday morning, police with shields arrived in the palace area, known historically as a popular protest site. But other than that, it seemed like a normal cold Seoul December morning.

Not far from the palace, tour groups wandered through the Bukchon Hanok Village, taking photos of the residential neighborhood and its many restored traditional houses.

Elisabetta Munari, on vacation from Milan, Italy, took a morning hike to Seoul Tower on the summit of Namsan Mountain, to see the views of the city. She had a week off from work and is traveling alone for the first time.

“A lot of people from Italy wrote to me during the night when I was sleeping,” she said. “But everyone here has gone to school and to work today. Of course, I’m not going to the city center, but still I’m around. I don’t think the situation is critical.”

The commercial Insadong and Myeongdong shopping streets were teeming with people, too. Geff Johnson, from Sydney, Australia, looked at the art for sale on the main street of Insadong with friends. He said their tour was canceled that day to the demilitarized zone, the swath of land between North and South Korea, because of the martial law declaration.

Johnson said he felt at ease because he had seen many police officers around in Seoul and so many locals and tourists were out shopping.

For the time being, he said, things seem safe.