In early December South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol announced a military coup. Given the Republic of Korea’s brutal history of military dictatorships, thousands of Koreans and opposition parties committed to upholding democracy immediately mobilized and reversed the declaration of martial law in a matter of hours. Yoon has since been impeached and arrested, but whether he will be forced from office remains an open question. Also uncertain are South Korea’s political future, the political turmoil’s impacts on the country’s alliance with the U.S. and Japan, and for the region as a whole, including China.