The Intelligence from The Economist The splitting image: Yoon verdict will deepen divisions
23 snips
Feb 19, 2026 
Noah Sneider, East Asia bureau chief who covers South Korea, explains how Yoon Suk Yeol's life sentence has intensified political splits and shaken party dynamics. Alex Domash, an economics correspondent who tracks AI and labour markets, discusses whether white-collar roles are really at risk and which job types are changing. They focus on South Korea’s polarisation and AI’s reshaping of white-collar work.
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The Night Martial Law Was Declared
- Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law and sent troops to seize parliament and the election commission late on December 3, 2024.
- The military withdrew and lawmakers overturned martial law in the early hours, avoiding violence but beginning a long political fallout.
Polarization Deepened, Institutions Endured
- The incident showcased both the resilience of South Korea's institutions and the depth of polarization in society.
- Yoon retains substantial support on the right, deepening political schisms rather than healing them.
Conservative Split And Far-Right Influence
- The People Power Party split into pro-Yoon 'Yoon Again' and anti-Yoon 'Yoon Never Again' factions.
- A loud far-right fringe with online influencers and MAGA-like imagery has pushed the party toward Yoon-friendly positions.
