For a lot of older South Koreans, the title “white cranium squad” harks again to a darkish time of violence and repression.
It was first used within the Nineteen Fifties, when the nation’s first president, Rhee Syngman, a hardline anti-communist, used political thugs to silence opposition as he discarded time period limits, as prescribed within the structure.
His grasp for absolute energy got here to an finish in 1960 amid large-scale protests.
Simply over 20 years later, South Korea entered one other section of political upheaval and the phrase “white cranium squad” returned.
This time it wasn’t used to explain civilians, however fairly a particular unit of the police pressure tasked with utilizing violence to quell pro-democracy scholar protests.
The officers donned iconic white helmets after they rushed right into a protest to select off straightforward or high-profile targets to be arrested, they usually intimidated anybody left behind.
Senior members of the white cranium group are calling for america to intervene in Korea’s democracy. (ABC Information: Equipped)
The squad was lastly disbanded a decade later after officers fatally beat two college college students.
“It was very, very brutal,” mentioned public diplomacy knowledgeable, Wang Son Taek, from Sogang College.
Now, because the nation endures a 3rd section of political unrest following one other presidential grasp for energy, the “white cranium squad” has been reborn.
The newest iteration is a gaggle of activists who donned the notorious white helmets throughout a stand-off with police.
Whereas the group, formally known as the Korea Anti-Communism Younger Warriors, explicitly states it doesn’t assist violence, it does maintain far-right views, fuelled by conspiracy theories and a disdain for South Korea’s left-leaning opposition.
Wang Son Taek says he’s apprehensive in regards to the improve in MAGA-style politics in South Korea. (ABC Information: James Oaten)
The motion can also be buoyed by the election of US President Donald Trump and the techniques of his MAGA motion.
“We predict that South Korea will turn into a one-party dictatorship just like the Chinese language Communist Celebration,” the group’s vice-president Peter Lee instructed the ABC.
“We expect freedom will utterly disappear, identical to in Hong Kong.
“Our objective is to guard freedom and Korean residents from anti-state forces which can be destroying our constitutional order, rigging elections, and trampling on democracy.”
Peter Lee and members of Korea Anti-Communism Younger Warriors group see Yoon Seok Yeol as standing towards the affect of the Chinese language authorities. (ABC Information: James Oaten)
MAGA vibes and conspiracy theories
South Korea is among the nice success tales of the previous century.
From the ruins of the Korean Battle, the nation broke freed from its authoritarian rule and abject poverty to turn into a rich, technologically superior democracy.
However its folks had been reminded of its previous when hawkish Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law in early December, citing, with out proof, a must fight North Korean forces.
The decree may need lasted just a few hours, after parliament voted it down, nevertheless it landed the president in a world of hassle.
Martial regulation was rapidly lifted after being declared by Yoon Suk Yeol. (South Korea Presidential Workplace/Handout through Reuters)
The Constitutional Court docket is about to resolve whether or not his impeachment is upheld, sending Koreans again to the polls, whereas felony prices of revolt might see Mr Yoon jailed for a very long time, together with life.
Regardless of his troubles, Mr Yoon has doubled down on his allegations about communist infiltrators, telling the ultimate day of his impeachment trial that “exterior forces, together with North Korea, together with anti-state parts inside our society” are “working collectively to significantly threaten our nationwide safety and sovereignty”.
Exterior the courtroom proceedings, Mr Yoon’s supporters have carried indicators saying “CCP Out” in addition to “Cease The Steal” in an apparent nod to MAGA.
Mr Yoon’s supporters oppose his impeachment and appear to be calling out to the US for assist. (ABC Information: Fletcher Yeung)
On the weekend, some 50,000 of Mr Yoon’s supporters flocked to the capital, celebrating his launch after a courtroom dominated his arrest in January was invalid.
There may be now concern about violence and rioting if the Constitutional Court docket upholds Mr Yoon’s impeachment, with police trying to deploy particular operations items, and close by faculties closed down.
Patrol automobiles have been stationed close to the houses of judges.
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An underlying conspiracy that pulls many of those protesters collectively is that final 12 months’s parliament elections, which additional strengthened the opposition’s maintain on parliament, had been fraudulent and the opposition is a proxy of North Korea or China.
Central to their arguments are images that present poll papers which can be immaculately stacked, with none crease marks or crinkles, implying they weren’t genuinely solid.
“Yoon Seok Yeol is making an attempt to disclose the election fraud brought on by the Chinese language Communist Celebration,” Mr Lee mentioned.
The conspiracy claims are extensively discredited, together with by the judiciary, with many consultants calling them shameful, nonsensical, excessive and even harmful, as they search to undermine the functioning of democracy, particularly the Nationwide Election Fee.
However the claims and assist for Mr Yoon have gained traction in the course of the impeachment trial.
Yoon Suk Yeol has gained assist whereas going through trial for impeachment. (ABC Information: James Oaten)
A latest ballot confirmed assist for Mr Yoon’s impeachment had dropped from 75 to 57 per cent, whereas 40 per cent of respondents didn’t belief the Constitutional Court docket.
Maybe most notable has been a surge in assist for Mr Yoon amongst youthful voters, who’re latching onto the anti-communist rhetoric, one thing that sometimes solely resonated with older voters.
Mr Wang mentioned he was involved that MAGA-style techniques had been gaining floor in South Korea.
“Lots of people now discuss and act very aggressively,” he mentioned.
“These items could not be imagined earlier than MAGA got here to our society. It is a unhappy, unhappy story.”
The courtroom has till June at hand down a ruling on Yoon Suk Yeol’s conduct. (AP: Kim Hong-Ji)
White skulls need US intervention
The Korean Anti-Communism Younger Warrior group boats a management staff of about 30 folks and a wider community of 300.
A lot of the members are reportedly aged of their 20s and 30s.
For now, it isn’t in search of to increase, pushing a story of high quality over amount.
“We’re transferring ahead with only a small elite pressure,” Mr Lee mentioned.
The way to cope with the rise of the younger fringe teams is debated inside Mr Yoon’s personal social gathering.
A lot of Mr Yoon’s supporters consider South Korea’s opposition wish to herald communism with assist from North Korea and China. (Reuters: Korean Central Information Company)
In January, a senior member of the Folks Energy Celebration launched the group because the “white cranium squad” throughout a press convention however apologised the next day.
“The title symbolises dangerous issues,” Mr Wang mentioned.
“The enemy of democracy, the image of the state violence, the image of navy dictatorship.”
For now, the Korea Anti-Communism Younger Warrior continues to embrace its colloquial title of “white cranium squad”, and attracts its personal parallels with the Nineteen Fifties model beneath president Rhee Syngman.
It refuses to simply accept any future elections shall be free and truthful, calling for america to intervene.
“The ‘Syngman Rhee’ spirit refers to defending towards communist invasions from China and North Korea in the course of the Korean Battle,” Mr Lee mentioned.
In January, pro-Yoon supporters stormed the Western District Court docket after it prolonged Mr Yoon’s detention, resulting in the arrest of greater than 40 folks.
However Mr Wang mentioned he believed it was an aberration, a “wake-up name”, and was unlikely to be repeated.
He mentioned the following few months could be turbulent, with “fierce” political battles, however any violence could be “small scale” — at most.
After which after just a few months, if Mr Yoon was impeached, Mr Wang mentioned the opposition would probably win the following election, and cooler heads would lastly prevail.
“We noticed the political turmoil in 1980 and 1987 nevertheless it was form of navy management,” he mentioned.
“From then on, we do not have that form of dysfunction. Korean individuals are well-known for guidelines and rules. We preserve guidelines and rules.“
Mr Yoon is a former prosecutor who now finds himself earlier than the courtroom in a distinct capability. (AP)
