section_path: Presidency (2022–2025)/Controversies/Democratic backsliding and media suppression
section_name: Democratic backsliding and media suppression
paragraph_text: Democratic backsliding and media suppression
  
  In 2024, the Swedish V-Dem Institute reported that under Yoon's administration, South Korea was dropping in its liberal democracy index (LDI). They described Yoon as "South Korea's Donald Trump". Specifically, they wrote:
  
  brought the right-wing and conservative Yoon Suk-yeol to power. His recent professional history already showed abuse of power. The change of president set South Korea back on a downward slope. President Yoon Suk-yeol's coercive measures to punish members of the former Moon administration, along with attacks on gender equality, set South Korea to decrease its LDI levels, forming a bell-turn. Although South Korea remains a liberal democracy at the end of 2023, Moon's efforts have been virtually neutralized.
  
  South Korea's ranking in the World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders dropped from 47th place to 62nd place from 2023 to May 2024. This was reportedly influenced by the Yoon administration's excessive use of sanctions against media outlets and journalists that were critical of the government, such as MBC. In a particular, a hot mic incident reported on by an MBC journalist resulted in a police raid on the journalist's house and a retaliatory banning of MBC from access to Yoon. Other similar raids on the homes of journalists have been conducted, with the justification of criminal defamation against Yoon. Outlets that have aligned with Yoon have reportedly received preferential treatment.
  
  An MBC report alleged that Yoon was influencing investigations conducted by the police. Critics alleged that the police, under Yoon, were quick to investigate labor unions and the media but cautious when investigating issues related to Yoon. For example, an order related to First Lady Kim Keon-hee that was issued by the National Assembly was subsequently blocked by the police. In November 2024, critics alleged that police, under orders of the Yoon administration, were being used to suppress anti-government protests. According to MBC, police unsuccessfully applied for four arrest warrants for protestors. Some argued that these actions contradicted a 2021 Supreme Court of Korea ruling.
  
  The frequency of government officials not attending National Assembly sessions has increased under Yoon's administration. Over a period of one year and four months from May 2022 to August 2023, there were 29 non-attendances by heads of government departments, vice ministers, and heads of affiliated organizations. President Yoon has been heavily criticised for overusing the right to veto bills.
  
  In November 2024, over 3,000 professors and researchers at various universities signed a declaration asking Yoon to resign. One interviewer speculated that the declaration was the largest such action from academics since protests during the Park Geun-hye administration. On 28 November, 1,466 South Korean Catholic priests called for Yoon to be impeached. They issued a declaration titled "How can a person be like this" (어째서 사람이 이 모양인가).