In the heart of Seoul's bustling Gwanghwamun district, the atmosphere was electric on Saturday as thousands of South Koreans took to the streets for rival protests over President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment.
A week after President Yoon declared—and swiftly rescinded—martial law on December 3, tensions are high. His presidential powers are currently suspended, though he remains in office and has yet to comply with summonses from authorities investigating whether his actions constituted insurrection.
The Constitutional Court is deliberating whether to remove him from office or restore his powers, but in the meantime, the people have taken to the streets to voice their opinions.
On one side, tens of thousands of anti-Yoon protesters, mostly young people in their 20s and 30s, gathered around 3 p.m., waving K-Pop light sticks and singing along to catchy tunes. Their signs read, \"Arrest! Imprison! Insurrection chief Yoon Suk-yeol\" as the crowd chanted for justice.
\"I wanted to ask Yoon how he could do this to a democracy in the 21st century,\" said 27-year-old Cho Sung-hyo. \"If he really has a conscience, he should step down.\"
Meanwhile, several thousand pro-Yoon supporters, many older and more conservative, assembled since midday. They called for the restoration of Yoon's powers and opposed his impeachment. \"These rigged elections eat away at this country,\" said 62-year-old businessman Lee Young-su. \"At the core are socialist communist powers… 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 the National Election Commission has denied.
Despite the charged atmosphere, no clashes were reported as of 4 p.m. local time. The day highlighted the deep divisions within South Korean society, with both sides passionately advocating for their visions of the country's future.
As Seoul's neon lights began to glow, the protests served as a vivid reminder of the nation's vibrant democracy and the power of its people to make their voices heard. 🇰🇷✨
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Rival protests over S. Korea's impeached President Yoon held in Seoul
cgtn.com
