One woman fearlessly grabs the muzzle of a balaclavaA close-fitting hat covering the neck and face, apart from the eyes.-clad soldier's gun, shrieking "aren't you ashamed?"¹ Military helicopters buzz overhead as army vehicles flood the streets. Staff barricade the doors to their country's parliament with furniture to stop soldiers from breaking in. Civilians rush from their beds to mass protests in the city centre.

Just hours ago, South Korea had been settling down to sleep. But not far from midnight, in a room with drab blue curtains, South Korea's President Yoon made a televised announcement that sent the country into turmoil.

"I appeal to the nation with a bleeding heart," Mr Yoon said. He warned that the country was on the verge of collapse, and announced that he would impose martial lawThe temporary suspension of civil law and its replacement with direct military control of society and its institutions. in response to "anti-state" opposition forces which he claims sympathise with North Korea.

Mr Yoon has faced years of legislative deadlockA situation in which no one can agree and no progress can be made. with opposition parties, which control the country's parliament. He has also been embroiled in personal scandal. Many think the declaration was little more than an attempt to seize back power and turn South Korea into an autocracyA society ruled by a single person or group with absolute power..²

But it was a short-lived venture, and 190 of South Korea's 300 MPs assembled in parliament in the early hours of the morning, pushing past the special forces attempting to block the entrances. They officially voted the period of emergency martial law over after just two hours and 48 minutes.

Now, Mr Yoon faces impeachmentIn the United States, as in the UK and many other countries, elected representatives have the power to call for officials to be removed from office for committing a public offence. This is called 'impeachment'., mass protests, and resignations from his top ministers. The boldest power grab in South Korea's recent history has been swiftly put to bed.

The scene might feel familiar to you. A right-wing president who thinks of himself as above the law. Fierce anti-establishment rhetoricThe art of persuasion.. A country turning to militarisation as division spreads.

It might as well be a description of the USA. With a second Trump presidency incoming, many think this will not be the only insurrectionA violent uprising against a government. we see in the coming months.

After all, Trump once quipped that he would be a "dictator on day one" if elected to his second term. He has called for using the military to handle "radical left lunatics".

The morning after Trump's victory, The New Yorker's front page warned "the former President will return to the White House older, less inhibited, and far more dangerous than ever before".

And some fear that it would be harder to disarm a power-hungry Trump. While President Yoon's approval rating hovers at just 20%, president-elect Trump is now seeing an approval rating 20 points higher than when he left the White House in 2021.³

Could Washington feel like Seoul in 12 months?

Yes: Trump has already expressed his willingness to become an autocratic leader who does not have to defer to democratic institutions. He is an eerily similar figure to President Yoon, but with far more power and appeal.

No: Fearmongering about Trump's authoritarian tendencies achieves nothing. The USA has strong constitutional protections in place to ensure that no single person can destroy its democracy.

Or... If Trump attempted to impose martial law in the USA, it is unlikely that the new regime would only last two hours and 48 minutes. In fact, South Korea should be a hopeful symbol of what the power of democracy can achieve in the face of bad actors.