The state of emergency, which was suddenly declared on the night of December 3, was lifted just six hours later following an emergency vote by the National Assembly at dawn. Immediately after the martial law was announced, the cryptocurrency market experienced a temporary financial shock, with Bitcoin plummeting by more than 30% and the won-dollar exchange rate surging due to a momentary panic sell-off. Fortunately, however, the stock market stabilized the following morning without major turmoil; countless office workers commuted to work as usual, and students also went to school calmly. In stark contrast to the tranquility of daily life, the political arena was swept up in massive turmoil. The opposition party immediately filed a motion to impeach the president, alleging an attempt to overthrow the regime and establish a dictatorship, while the media relentlessly flooded the airwaves with sensationalized footage of the standoff between politicians attempting to enter the National Assembly and military personnel throughout the night.
Amid this sudden upheaval, the majority of the public—plunged into confusion and doubt—found their attention captivated by the emotional footage and trivial, off-topic issues presented by the news media. With their reason temporarily paralyzed, they flocked to the square where a massive commotion was unfolding, guided by their usual ideological leanings, much like moths blindly rushing toward a bright light. Just a short time ago, the media had thoroughly downplayed the joint worship service—where over a million believers gathered in the Gwanghwamun, City Hall, and Yeouido areas to defend traditional values with tears in their eyes. Yet now, they were giving massive coverage to a relatively small crowd that had been incited to gather in the square. Witnessing this behavior forced us to once again confront the shadow of a massive faction lurking behind the power of the media. Amid the chaos, even some leaders of the ruling party regrettably fueled social turmoil and anxiety by hastily calling for the suspension of duties while hinting at the possibility of further political upheaval.
However, a close examination of the events of that tense night revealed that while the political world’s attention was focused on the National Assembly plaza, another major military force was moving toward the key agency responsible for overseeing the nation’s election administration. As news emerged of the military’s actions—which went beyond mere maintenance of order to include inspecting the security status of the nation’s core systems and securing relevant documents and server records—it leads one to wonder whether there might have been a massive judicial and administrative rationale lurking behind this incident that we had not yet recognized. Combined with shocking international news—such as the recent Romanian presidential election, where the vote itself was invalidated due to allegations of interference by external forces—and the ongoing discourse on the reliability of the electoral system raised by U.S. President Donald Trump, it felt as though the pieces of a massive war of values were finally falling into place. Ultimately, the impeachment vote that the opposition party pushed through against the president who had declared martial law was ultimately rejected due to the ruling party’s organized resistance and a lack of quorum, bringing this unprecedented impeachment crisis to a temporary close.
Leaving behind the streets filled with political rhetoric and noise, I headed to Sarang Church in Seocho-gu, Seoul, to attend the Handong Global University Parents’ Prayer Meeting. The venue was packed with about 200 parents—including President Choi Do-sung—who had gathered from all over the country to raise their children as God’s talents. Amid the wave of prayers—cries from the heart for our nation, our people, missionaries sent to nations around the world, our compatriots in the North, and the students and faculty who represent Handong University’s future—I witnessed the true “army of God” spiritually defending this era. In particular, my heart began to race as I listened to President Choi Do-sung’s profound perspective and insight regarding the turbulent era of modern civilization, as well as his alternative vision for the future of South Korea’s educational ecosystem and Handong University’s concrete plan for innovation.
I could not help but deeply resonate with his sharp historical critique—that “professors trapped in 20th-century paradigms are educating students living in the 21st century using 19th-century analog methods”—and with his explanation that Handong University is already prioritizing creative and flexible innovative education centered on spirituality and character. Furthermore, upon hearing the shocking statistic that the percentage of Christians among current Seoul National University students is less than 1%, and the unfortunate reality that openly identifying as an evangelical Christian on American college campuses today entails academic and social disadvantages, I came to realize the profound providence of why God has hidden Handong University—a spiritual refuge and stronghold—in the land of South Korea during this immoral and rebellious age.
In his sermon, the President emphasized that, historically, human worldly power, material wealth, or even organized religion itself has never fundamentally transformed the world. Just as stated in Jeremiah 29:5–7, I gained a deep conviction that the course of history was altered through the “Remnant”—those who, even in the desperate circumstances of the great Babylonian exile, quietly built their homes and cultivated their gardens in the places God had assigned them, and faithfully maintained their place of prayer for the peace of the city.
At the same time, I deeply reflected on the warning not to be deceived by the false prophecies of false prophets who, under the pretense of God’s name, rush into the public square to incite the crowds, nor to be engulfed by ideological dreams and propaganda concocted by human beings (Jeremiah 29:8). A prayer of compassion welled up for the ignorant people of this land who, still failing to grasp the lessons of spiritual crisis and persecution that the churches of South Korea faced during the past impeachment crisis, are repeating the same emotional mistakes. It was a time of grace in which we solemnly pledged to possess spiritual discernment that remains unshaken even amid the world’s turbulent waves, and to stay vigilant in prayer as we prepare a holy breakwater for the next generation.
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