Yoon's Actions Cast North Korea as the Rational Actor

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol's brief declaration of martial law has severely damaged the country's international reputation as a stable democracy and reliable security partner. The incident has jeopardized South Korea's ambitions to play a larger role in US nuclear policy and strained its trilateral cooperation with the US and Japan. Allegations that Yoon's administration provoked North Korea to justify martial law have further complicated the situation, raising doubts about South Korea's trustworthiness as an ally. The fallout from this crisis is expected to have long-lasting impacts on South Korea's security and diplomatic standing.