In an unexpected twist of fate, Kim Ou-joon finds himself woven into the vibrant tapestry of tumultuous political upheaval that is South Korea’s martial law saga. A prominent political commentator and the head honcho of the eclectic media group News Factory, as well as the “Flower” polling institute, Kim emerged as a target for the powers that be the moment the iron grip of martial law descended on December 3. “That evening, I hunkered down at home, and as soon as the announcement echoed, I knew I had to vanish,” he recounted to *Le Monde*, from a clandestine safehouse where he remained ensconced for a harrowing two days.
His trademark disheveled hair and fiery rhetoric, coupled with a relentless crusade against the likes of conservative figures such as Lee Myung-bak, Park Geun-hye, and currently, Yoon Suk Yeol, have made Kim a stalwart champion against corruption and the entrenched elitism that plagues the nation.
Luck was decidedly on his side; shortly after his discreet exit, the military fortified their presence outside his residence, a silent declaration of intent. A cadre of soldiers subsequently took command in front of the News Factory’s headquarters. “It took a moment for the reality to crystallize. Yoon’s masterstroke was to cast a shadow of fraud over the upcoming April parliamentary elections—arrest the opposition, manipulate the narrative, and construct a National Assembly that would serve his whims. His strategy was to mislead the public and preclude MPs from coming together to vote for the repeal of martial law. They were here specifically to detain Lee Jae-myung, the opposition’s Democratic Party leader, along with Han Dong-hoon from his own People’s Power Party,” Kim revealed, piecing together the puzzle of political machinations aimed at stifling dissent.
