The World History Digital Education Foundation (WHDEF) sponsored by the Korea Foundation and the Korean War Legacy Foundation (KWLF), sponsored by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs of the Republic of Korea, has developed a new inquiry-based lesson plan examining Korean democracy (K-Democracy). Designed for U.S. classrooms, the lesson utilizes the C3 Framework for Social Studies Standards, a widely adopted inquiry model in the United States. The lesson is anchored by the central question: What happened when democracy was tested in Korea & how did Korean democracy demonstrate its sustainability and resilience? Throughout the lesson, students are asked to analyze the origins and outcomes of the recent martial law crisis that began on December 3, 2024.
About the Lesson
The inquiry begins with students analyzing powerful contemporary sources, including a video of opposition leader and current President Lee Jae-myung live streaming himself jumping a fence to enter the National Assembly grounds, and a photograph of National Assembly Speaker Won-shik Woo scaling a fence to reach the parliament building in Seoul. Students respond to formative questions that launch discussion and help them critically analyze democratic institutions under pressure.
Students then examine primary source documents to explore what martial law is, how it functions, and how South Korean leaders and citizens responded to the declaration. Using evidence from these sources, students ultimately answer the inquiry question and evaluate the resilience of democratic systems in moments of crisis. “With so many democracies facing challenges around the world, it is imperative to share Korea’s robust and sustainable democratic experience,” said KWLF & WHDEF President Jongwoo Han. “The events of last year demonstrated the power of Korea’s civic engagement and democratic institutions in action.”
The lesson plan was written by U.S. social studies teachers Anna-Lisa Dahlgren and Chris Simeti, who were inspired by K-Democracy during the WHDEF “Discover Korea Research Visit Program” to the Republic of Korea. Participants in this years’ visit had the opportunity to meet and discuss Korean Democracy with Speaker of the House Won-shik Woo in their visit to the National Assembly on July 9, 2025. The yearlong program brings together educators from around the world to study Korea’s history, culture, economic growth, and democratic evolution. As part of the program, participants took part in a ten-day research visit to South Korea from June 30 to July 10, 2025, which included a visit to the National Assembly, where the lesson authors deepened their understanding of K-Democracy.
