The author is national news editor of the JoongAng Ilbo.
On Jan. 1, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics announced that over 55,000 people had died in the Gaza conflict. The staggering toll is the result of 15 months of Israeli military strikes that spared no targets, including civilian areas, schools, hospitals and even international organization offices. It is a massacre that borders on ethnic cleansing. In November last year, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on charges of war crimes.
Amid the overwhelming brutality, however, a crucial question has been overshadowed: What were the objectives and strategies of Hamas, the militant group governing Gaza, when it initiated the war? On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas launched thousands of rockets into Israel, accompanied by ground incursions involving gliders and motorcycles, resulting in the deaths of over 1,200 people and the abduction of 251. This was not merely an act of terrorism but a calculated act of war. Analysts have speculated that Hamas sought revenge for attacks by Israeli far-right extremists or aimed to derail normalization talks between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Yet Hamas failed to mount any meaningful resistance to Israel’s counterattacks. Its leaders retreated into labyrinthine tunnels, using civilians as shields to survive. No matter how sacred their cause, allowing such massive civilian casualties without a coherent strategy is indefensible.
The senseless loss of life is not confined to Gaza. In the Russia-Ukraine war, tragic scenes continue to unfold. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed on Jan. 4 that an entire North Korean battalion deployed to the Kursk front was annihilated within just two days. Reports indicate that out of approximately 11,000 North Korean troops sent to the war, some 3,000 have been killed or wounded. Recent footage released by Ukrainian authorities of clashes with North Korean forces shows a grim spectacle resembling a hunt rather than combat. Ill-prepared soldiers, with no understanding of the battlefield or tactics, were helpless against relentless drone attacks. What objectives and strategies did North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have in mind when sending these soldiers to their deaths? Could any purpose justify such a senseless sacrifice?
South Korea’s democracy, meanwhile, was thrown back 45 years when President Yoon Suk Yeol abruptly declared martial law on Dec. 3 last year. Details of the preparation for the declaration, emerging through investigations and testimonies, reveal a series of shocking and infuriating events. Most troubling is the allegation that efforts were made to provoke a North Korean military response to justify the martial law. A notebook belonging to No Sang-won, a former intelligence commander accused of directing martial law plans while still a civilian, reportedly contains the phrase “induce a North Korean attack at the Northern Limit Line (NLL).” While No has refused to testify and the military vehemently denies the claims, the issue warrants further investigation. This suspicion gains weight when considering statements by former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who called for retaliatory strikes against North Korean provocations involving balloons, and North Korea’s abrupt accusation that South Korea had sent drones dropping propaganda leaflets.
According to South Korea’s military, North Korea has positioned over 340 long-range artillery units targeting the Seoul metropolitan area, capable of firing 16,000 rounds per hour. Combined with short-range ballistic missiles, which have seen continual improvements, it is uncertain whether South Korea’s missile defense systems could withstand such an onslaught. What gave the architects of martial law the confidence that a “limited” North Korean response would suffice to justify their actions without escalating into full-blown war? Perhaps they believed that the damage could be dismissed as collateral, acceptable in the name of eradicating “anti-state forces.”
Yoon’s actions remain disgraceful and irresponsible to the very end. His bold declaration that he would not evade the legal consequences of martial law has proven hollow as he hides behind his security personnel to resist the execution of a court-issued arrest warrant. While his guards face potential criminal charges for obstructing law enforcement, Yoon appears solely focused on ensuring his own safety and plotting his next move. His behavior evokes chilling comparisons to Hamas leaders who disregard civilian casualties to protect themselves and to North Korean leaders who send young soldiers to die abroad while seeking personal safety at home.
Translated using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
