By Andres Sanchez Braun
Seoul, Feb 7 (EFE).- A failed martial law plot in South Korea has exposed the deep influence of shamanism in the country’s crisis-ridden power circles.
From secret meetings in a burger joint to divinations guiding state decisions, figures tied to President Yoon Suk-yeol, including a former military intelligence chief-turned-shaman, have blurred the lines between governance and superstition.
Bono, a neighborhood in Ansan, 30 km southwest of Seoul, is one of many South Korean enclaves known for its shamans. Its streets are marked with swastika emblems—symbols of prosperity in Hinduism and Buddhism—indicating the presence of shamans available for consultation.
In a modest semi-basement in the neighborhood, a pile of dry haddock, symbolizing good luck, sits alongside salt offerings and red beans meant to ward off evil spirits, marking the path to the office of Baby Bodhitsava. This was the residence and workplace of Noh Sang-won, one of the key architects behind the failed martial law declared on Dec. 3.
Noh was closely connected to former defense minister Kim Yong-hyun, whom he first introduced to Moon Sang-ho, a recently dismissed military intelligence commander. Moon had allegedly planned to raid electoral institutions during the state of emergency in an attempt to uncover alleged fraud—claims for which no credible evidence exists.
Noh is arguably the most controversial and eccentric figure in the plot, beginning with his choice to use a hamburger franchise in Bono as a meeting spot with Moon Sang-ho and other military and ex-military officials to finalize plans for declaring martial law.
The restaurant has since become an unusual pilgrimage site for South Koreans with a taste for dark humor, who have dubbed Noh “Burger Bodhitsava” online.
That’s not all. In 2018, while serving as commander of military intelligence—the same role Moon later held—he was expelled from the army for sexually abusing a subordinate. Since then, he had lived and worked at Baby Bodhitsava, training in divination alongside other seers.
“I often saw long queues in front of Baby Bodhitsava. There were people who came from different parts of the country because of their reputation,” the owner of a nearby butcher shop in Bono told EFE.
At the establishment, police discovered Noh’s journal, which detailed plans to provoke North Korea as a pretext for declaring martial law. It also included a list of politicians to be arrested and the phrase “block parliament,” referring to efforts to prevent lawmakers from repealing the state of emergency.
The former military official admitted to police that he had urged President Yoon Suk-yeol to declare martial law before the year’s end, believing the omens were favorable based on his horoscope and the traditional face-reading practice known as “gwansang.”
Seungsook Moon, a sociology professor at Vassar College, emphasizes that musok, often translated as shamanism and tracing back to prehistoric times, is Korea’s only truly indigenous belief system and remains deeply embedded in the national psyche.
This belief centers on a multitude of spirits and is closely tied to divination. Beyond serving as a spiritual guide, musok also has a pragmatic and therapeutic role, while offering a form of entertainment in modern times.
Moon revealed that many South Koreans turn to musok for guidance on everyday matters, seeking advice on everything from love to choosing business names.
Besides Noh, President Yoon and First Lady Kim Keon-hee are known to have mysterious connections with various shamans. Furthermore, Yoon’s decision to relocate the presidential office after taking power in 2022 was solely influenced by geomancy.
Sociologist Moon reflects on why powerful figures would turn to something many in the country “take lightly” when making state decisions.
He suggests it stems from a lack of professionalism, similar to Donald Trump, Yoon became president without prior political experience, which may be linked to broader social changes and the evolving nature of leadership.
“Professionalism and decision-making based on scientific facts are being sidelined in the US,” Moon argues.
“In Korea, with Yoon and the radical right, we are seeing an upsurge in authoritarianism. In reality, irrational and superstitious thinking seems to go hand in hand with the so called personality cult.” EFE
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