Tens of thousands of South Koreans braved frigid temperatures and snow this weekend for days-long rallies both in favor and against impeaching President Yoon Suk-yeol, facing constitutional ouster following his failed attempt to impose martial law on the country in December.
Mere yards separated throngs of left-wing protesters demanding the immediate removal of Yoon – who is currently not acting as president but in a state of legal limbo until the Constitutional Court either affirms or rejects the National Assembly’s impeachment – from right-wing protesters demanding he be reinstated in power.
The South Korean news agency Yonhap reported that a rally on Saturday supporting Yoon attracted 35,000 people to an area in central Seoul, who then “suddenly moved to Hannam-dong of Yongsan district to stand against anti-Yoon protestors.”
“Just 400 meters away, members of the militant labor umbrella Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) held a rally calling for the immediate arrest of Yoon,” Yonhap added.
The KCTU, the largest union group in Korea with a history of organizing efforts against Yoon, was reportedly embroiled in violence in an attempt to storm Yoon’s residence that ended in two arrests on charges of assaulting police.
The proximity between the pro- and anti-Yoon protesters prompted fears of violence, but the protests lasted through Sunday night without South Korean outlets reporting any major instances of violence.
Images of the throngs of people participating in both protests showed masses of left-wing protesters demanding impeachment and flying rainbow flags; the pro-Yoon crowd waved American flags and signs reading “stop the steal,” a reference to a movement against the inauguration of President Joe Biden in 2020.
The protests also attracted some senior political officials. One conservative making an appearance was National Assembly member Yoon Sang-hyun, who reportedly described himself as a “sacred warrior defending the liberal system.”
“To many conservative supporters in South Korea the American flag has long served as a powerful emblem of anti-communism and the country’s enduring alliance with its main security partner,” the Korea Herald explained on Friday, noting the increasingly frequency with which the American flag was appearing in pro-Yoon protests.
“To Yoon’s conservative base, the American flag is more than just a nod to South Korea’s alliance with the US – it’s a political weapon, a symbol of anti-communism, and an expression of shared ideological values,” it added.
The newspaper noted that, in addition to an ideological symbol, pro-Yoon protesters were advocating for the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump to intervene in some manner to save Yoon’s presidency. It also reported that some of the conservatives also cheered “Trump manse!”, which roughly translates to “hooray Trump!”
Yoon’s attempt to impose martial law in early December, allegedly to “protect the Republic of Korea from the threats of North Korean communist forces,” was highly unpopular and blocked by the National Assembly within hours. While anti-Yoon protesters had dominated Seoul political assemblies since the initial failed martial law bid, conservative groups began organizing mass events in the past week, attracting more support as the left-wing Democratic Party impeached the first acting president, Han Duck-soo, and pushed for Yoon’s arrest in addition to removal from power. An arrest warrant issued for Yoon on charges of sedition also galvanized opposition to what conservatives are increasingly rejecting as a power play by the South Korean left.
Efforts to arrest Yoon on Friday failed in dramatic fashion as agents of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO), a special government agency targeting powerful politicians, surrounded Yoon’s residence but could not get through flanks of Presidential Security Service (PSS) agents. The standoff lasted for six hours and ended with the CIO retreating.
Police have since charged the head of the PSS with the crime of “insurrection,” as a result of alleged actions taken shortly before and during the brief martial law period.
On Sunday, the CIO formally requested that South Korean police authorities arrest Yoon. Police responded on Monday refusing to do so, describing the CIO request as riddled with legal problems.
Attempts to arrest Yoon do not appear to have solidified opposition to the conservative president. A poll published on Sunday, conducted by the pollster Gongjung, found modest increases in support for Yoon between this week and December 24 among most Koreans and a four-point increase in support among those identifying as supporters of Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP). Among all respondents, 30.4 percent said they supported Yoon, up over 12 points from a survey on December 9, immediately before the martial law declaration.
The current interim president, Choi Sang-mok, appeared to appeal to pro-American sentiments with statements on Monday emphasizing the importance of diplomatic ties with America, especially after Trump assumes the presidency.
“We will fully utilize all available resources to engage in close communication and consultations immediately after the new US administration takes office,” Choi asserted.
Biden’s Secretary of State Antony Blinken is currently in Seoul for final meetings with high-ranking officials, where he prioritized discussion of the Ukraine war, according to South Korean news outlets.
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