Martial law was declared on the night of December 3rd and lifted just six hours later after an emergency vote by the National Assembly at dawn. The moment martial law was announced, the cryptocurrency market panicked, causing Bitcoin to plummet over 30% and the exchange rate to soar. However, the next day, the stock market showed little significant fluctuation, office workers reported to work as usual, and students attended school normally. Only the political sphere was in utter chaos. The opposition immediately demanded the president’s impeachment, while the media busied themselves editing and broadcasting footage of the standoff between opposition lawmakers attempting to enter the National Assembly overnight and the martial law troops.

The majority of citizens, plunged into confusion and curiosity, found their reason paralyzed by the sensational footage shown on the news and biased reporting on non-essential issues. Unconsciously, they were drawn like moths to a flame, gathering wherever the noise was loudest, following their usual values. The media, which had diligently downplayed the joint worship service opposing the Anti-Discrimination Act attended by a million people at Gwanghwamun, City Hall, and Yeouido, now amplified coverage of a few tens of thousands of people incited to gather in the plaza. This revealed their shadow once more. Meanwhile, the ruling party leader fueled further chaos by announcing that the president was preparing a second martial law and must be immediately suspended from duty.

However, it was later revealed that more troops had been sent to the National Election Commission than had been deployed to the National Assembly. Moreover, unlike the troops sent to the Assembly, these forces were fully armed and conducted search-and-seizure operations to secure evidence of election fraud, taking away large quantities of servers and documents. Recent news about Russia’s intervention in the Romanian presidential election leading to vote invalidation, along with past remarks by Trump in the US about election fraud suspicions being cautiously revisited, seem to fit into the puzzle. Ultimately, the opposition party labeled the president who declared martial law a dictator and pushed for an impeachment vote, but it failed due to lack of quorum, bringing the matter to a temporary close.

I attended a parents’ prayer meeting for Handong University at Sarang Church in Seocho-gu, Seoul. About 200 parents with children at Handong University gathered there, including Dean Choi Do-sung. Among those fervently praying for the nation, the people, missionaries, North Korea, and the students and professors of Handong University, I sensed God’s soldiers. Listening to Dean Choi Do-sung’s vision and insight into the current era, the direction South Korean education should take, and Handong University’s specific plans, my heart raced. I resonated with his critique that 21st-century students are being taught by 20th-century professors using 19th-century methods, and his explanation that Handong University already prioritizes creative innovation centered on character education. Furthermore, hearing the shocking statistic that less than 1% of Seoul National University students are Christian, and the disheartening reality that declaring oneself a Christian at American universities is now nearly suicidal, made me understand why God hid Handong University within South Korea.

The President’s words confirmed my conviction: historically, no one has ever changed the world through power, money, or even religion. It was through the faithful perseverance of believers, as described in Jeremiah 29:5-7, that the world was transformed. At the same time, I went to Gwanghwamun and prayed that we would not be deceived by false prophets not sent by God, nor be ensnared by our own dreams (Jeremiah 29:8). I also prayed for forgiveness for those who, still unaware of the persecution South Korean Christians faced during the past presidential impeachment, are repeating the same mistakes. I resolved to discern, stay alert, and prepare the next generation well.