Delegating Away Democracy? Martial Law Support in South Korea

Abstract

Why do citizens sometimes accept undemocratic actions by political leaders? Building on growing debates about citizens’ democratic attitudes, we examine whether support for executive power grabs is associated not only with citizens’ partisan alignment but also with their perceptions of government performance and animosity toward political opponents. South Korea’s sudden declaration of martial law in December 2024 offers a unique real-world case for examining this question. Using original survey data collected 1 month after the incident from 1,500 respondents, we find that individuals with positive views of the economy, particularly incumbent supporters, are more likely to endorse the stated justifications for martial law. Hostility toward the opposition is also associated with higher endorsement among incumbent supporters and with a weaker observed relationship between economic evaluations and democratic accountability. Our findings suggest that even in established democracies, public support for democratic norms may be fragile in times of crisis—especially under deep polarization and when citizens view the executive as effective.