[ICSS 20250601] Korea’s Revolution of Light:Resisting Dictatorship,Defending Sovereignty Simone Chun

On June 3rd, South Korea will hold its ninth presidential election—a pivotal moment following a year of political turmoil and mass mobilization. The election follows far-right President Yoon Suk-yeol’s declaration of martial law on December 3, 2024, a move that sparked a nationwide democratic uprising. In response, nearly 10 million Koreans braved freezing temperatures and escalating repression to demand his removal. Their efforts culminated in a historic victory on April 3rd, when the Constitutional Court upheld the National Assembly’s impeachment vote, officially removing Yoon from power. This mass democratic uprising—now known as the Revolution of Light—is not only a struggle against domestic authoritarianism but also a broader rejection of U.S. militarism and support for autocratic regimes. With over 250 days of destabilizing U.S.-led war games symbolizing continued foreign domination, the Korean people have risen to defend their sovereignty and reclaim democratic rule. Yet the struggle is far from over. As South Korea stands at a crossroads, far-right insurrectionists—backed by transnational forces—continue to mobilize in an attempt to sabotage the movement for a sovereign, democratic republic. Will South Korea’s June 3 Presidential Election Cement a Coup Regime or Restore a Democratic Republic? Join us for an urgent and timely conversation with political analyst and activist Simone Chun as we explore the stakes of this critical election and the future of democracy and sovereignty on the Korean Peninsula. SPEAKER BIO: Simone Chun is a researcher and activist focusing on inter-Korean relations and U.S. foreign policy in the Korean Peninsula. She has served as an assistant professor at Suffolk University, a lecturer at Northeast University and an associate in research at Harvard University’s Korea Institute. She is on the Korea Policy Institute Board of Directors, and serves on the advisory board for CODEPINK. She can be found on Twitter at @simonechun.