70-year-old protester shows how South Korea's past haunts its present

In a shock-move yesterday President Yoon Suk Yeol tried to declare martial law in South Korea – first time since the dark days of 80s. The attempt failed quick but left many with bitter memories

For Lee Chul-Woo‚ a 70-year old ex-teacher who joined recent anti-government protests its like looking into a time-machine. Back in may of 1980‚ he saw tanks and machine-guns at his uni campus during the infamous gwangju uprising: a time when hundreds disappeared or died fighting the military rule

When I see this guy now‚ his mindset is from the 60s and 70s‚ Yoon Suk Yeol cant escape that era

South Korea has seen lots of martial law since becoming a republic in 48; the most brutal one happened in gwangju (which later helped push the country towards democracy in 87). Lee remembers being beaten-up and arrested as a student protestor – memories that still give him cold-sweats

In his late-night TV speech Yoon used old-school anti-communist talk to explain his actions: saying its needed to protect from “north korean threats“ and “anti-state forces“. This kind of talk – straight from pre-87 government playbook – made many people mad

The elderly protestor says heʼs ready to guard democracy with his own body; “young people should not be sacrificed“ he says adding that at his age heʼs lived enough. Still he feels better knowing todays soldiers arent as harsh as they were back then (when troops got sent to parliament building this week)