The Workers’ Party is observing the situation in south Korea with great interest. The lifting of martial law by President Yoon Suk Yeol marks a positive step, but south Korea remains in grave danger as a fascist government continues to wield power. This development underscores the profound challenges facing the working class in south Korea, who endure ongoing repression under a system that prioritises capitalist domination over democratic rights and social justice.

President Yoon’s declaration of martial law initially signified a stark descent into overt authoritarianism, recalling the territory’s long history of military dictatorship from 1945 until 1987. While the formal lifting of martial law may alleviate immediate tensions, the underlying fascist character of the regime remains intact. Fascism, as the terrorist dictatorship of capital over the working class, persists in south Korea, now cloaked in a liberal guise to mask its anti-democratic core.

The Workers’ Party of Ireland extends its unwavering solidarity to workers and all progressive forces in Korea who are mobilising against the capitalist dictatorship and its exploitative system. President Yoon’s justifications for martial law — a supposed defence of a “liberal” south Korea against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, communists, and “anti-state elements” — remain hollow pretexts for suppressing dissent and consolidating the ruling class’s power. Despite the lifting of martial law, the government continues its assault on democracy, workers’ rights, and the progressive movement.

South Korea remains a crucial ally of U.S. imperialism in Asia, and the Workers’ Party of Ireland condemns the role of American imperialist forces in supporting reactionary elements within the Yoon administration. While the United States may express “concern” over authoritarian measures, its complicity in suppressing revolutionary movements and maintaining hegemony in the region is evident.

The progressive forces in south Korea must persist in their courageous struggle against not only the Yoon administration but also the broader system of exploitation and imperialist domination. Together, the workers of Korea can and will forge a path towards liberation.