South Korea's Political Instability

 

South Korea is experiencing political instability. President Yoon Suk Yeol attempted to institute martial law. This caused alarm and concern among the South Korean public. For six hours the country was in turmoil with the army being mobilized. Soldiers blocked protesters from entering the National Assembly building. The decision was reversed after much objection. President Yoon Suk Yeol did this only because his own political party did not approve of declaring martial law. The People's Power Party is trying to distance themselves from a president that is becoming unpopular. The conservative government has been in power since 2022 and discord among the public has grown. President Yoon Suk Yeol accused the political opposition of obstruction and collaborating with North Korea. No evidence has been presented to show that other political parties are working with North Korea. Law makers then responded by introducing legislation to nullify the martial law declaration. The Defense Ministry rejected this and said it would only follow the orders of President Yeol. Martial law was last declared in 1980. The fear is the return to an authoritarian system. The Yeol administration has accumulated a number of scandals and controversies. The declaration of martial law was a way to undermine the South Korean Democratic Party. President Yoon Suk Yeol could face impeachment and other criminal charges. A South Korean constitutional crisis could be the result of his resistance to the rule of law. As demonstrations increase the chances of Yoon Suk Yeol getting re-elected are reduced.   

Hunter Biden Gets A Presidential Pardon

 

Hunter Biden has gotten a presidential pardon from the Biden administration. President Joseph Biden claimed that he would not give one to his son. The argument was that administration wants to respect the rule of law. This conviction does not apply to members of the Biden family. Hunter Biden has gun charges and has been accused of tax evasion. The criminal justice system favors the powerful, white, and elite class. The reversal was done most likely because of the incoming Trump administration. If Biden remained in the presidential race and won, Hunter Biden would not have faced punishment. Getting a pardon now ensures that Hunter would not face retaliation from the next administration. Hunter Biden might have information related to business operations in Ukraine, which President Biden does not want public. The Democratic Party has attempted to create an image of a humanitarian organization and those who believe in justice. Pardoning Hunter Biden shows a level corruption, white privilege, and criminality similar to that of the Trump administration. Political figures are above the law, but it also includes their families. The presidential pardon is gradually evolving to let criminals go free. The drug charges are the least egregious offense. The War on Drugs criminalized addiction, which is a psychological disorder. Hunter Biden not paying his taxes and business dealings in Ukraine are serious crimes. The US government has grown more corrupt from the presidency to the courts. Few  Democratic senators and congressional representatives have condemned the Hunter Biden pardon. Speculation has circulated that the pardon was done as an expression of anger for the Democratic Party removing Biden as the nominee. President Biden doing the pardon for his son puts the Democratic Party in an awkward  position. The contradiction is one that the Democratic Party will have to confront beyond 2024.   

Chad and Senegal Want To Break Military Ties With France

 

Chad has announced it will no longer be part of the defense cooperation agreement with France. Senegal also announced it intends to expel French soldiers from its territory. An estimated 1,000 troops are present in Chad. Senegal does have French military bases. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye expressed the change in position as Senegal asserting its national sovereignty. The Senegalese president was elected to office with the goal drastic political change. President Mahamat Deby being the strongman of Chad, no longer wants to follow the dictates of France. His ambition could be to have more influence in Sudan and South Sudan. Breaking military ties with France shows that President Mahamat Deby is not a puppet to a foreign power. President Deby is showing that he  is going to be a longtime authoritarian leader in the region. France was forced out of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. Military coups were the reaction to rage regarding France's occupation and being a destabilizing force. France could either attempted to undermine Chad or Senegal through armed groups or terrorist organizations. Another alternative would be to try to create a sphere of influence between Algeria and Morocco. This would be halted due to the fact both Algeria and Morocco disagree with the status of the Western Sahara. Algeria tends to favor its independence and most of the African continent is moving to that political position. Chad and Senegal could align closer to Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. The developments might not be a rise of Pan-African consciousness, but a repudiation of French interference in the affairs of the Sahel region.