Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Seoul on Saturday in rival protests supporting and opposing the suspended South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, a week after his impeachment over a brief declaration of martial law.
Pro- and anti-Yoon groups gathered just hundreds of meters apart in Gwanghwamun, the heart of the capital, reflecting deep divisions within South Korean society. The demonstrations remained peaceful as of 4 p.m. (0700 GMT), with a heavy police presence maintaining order.
Yoon’s presidential powers have been suspended following his impeachment, but he remains in office. He has not complied with summonses from authorities investigating whether his short-lived martial law declaration on December 3 constituted insurrection. The martial law was declared late on December 3 and rescinded hours later.
The Constitutional Court is set to decide whether to remove Yoon from office or restore his presidential powers. Yoon has not responded to the court’s attempts to contact him.
The anti-Yoon protest drew tens of thousands of participants, predominantly in their 20s and 30s. Waving K-Pop light sticks and holding signs reading “Arrest! Imprison! Insurrection chief Yoon Suk-yeol,” they marched to the beat of catchy K-pop tunes.
“I wanted to ask Yoon how he could do this to a democracy in the 21st century, and I think if he really has a conscience, he should step down,” said Cho Sung-hyo, a 27-year-old protester.
Meanwhile, several thousand pro-Yoon demonstrators, mainly older and more conservative citizens, rallied since midday to oppose his impeachment and support the restoration of his presidential powers.
“These rigged parliamentary elections eat away at this country, and at the core are socialist communist powers,” said Lee Young-su, a 62-year-old businessman. “About 10 of us came together and said the same thing—we absolutely oppose impeachment.”
President Yoon had cited claims of election hacking and “anti-state” pro-DPRK sympathizers as justification for imposing martial law—a claim denied by the National Election Commission.
The ongoing political turmoil has left South Korea at a crossroads, with the nation awaiting the Constitutional Court’s decision. The rival protests highlight the stark generational and ideological divides that could shape the country’s future path.
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Rival protests over S. Korea's impeached President Yoon held in Seoul
cgtn.com
