Police Increase Security Amid Protests Related to President Yoon's Impeachment
On January 19, following the issuance of an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk-yeol, pro-Yoon supporters gathered in front of the Constitutional Court in Jongno-gu, Seoul, holding an unauthorized rally and chanting slogans. The police announced plans to significantly enhance security at the Constitutional Court, as well as at other judicial and correctional facilities, due to concerns that the recent disturbances at the Western District Court were not isolated incidents. A police official stated, "If there are attempts to disrupt the impeachment trial and related proceedings with violence, we will respond strictly according to the law."
Around 1,300 protesters gathered near the Constitutional Court, displaying signs that read "Invalidate the Impeachment, Arrest Lee Jae-myung" and "Verify Election Fraud," while chanting for President Yoon's immediate release. The gathering was deemed illegal, and police warned that participants could face penalties.
During the protests, one man was apprehended for trespassing after climbing the court's wall, and another was caught with a crowbar, suspected of carrying a concealed weapon. Earlier in the day, approximately 1,500 people clashed with police outside the Western District Court in Mapo-gu, with some holding photos of Chief Judge Cha Eun-kyung, who issued the arrest warrant for President Yoon. One man was arrested for obstructing police duties during the scuffle.
A document titled "Declaration of the 1.19 Democratic Uprising" circulated rapidly on social media, authored by a group identifying themselves as "Citizens of Free Republic of Korea." They claimed that the judiciary and constitutional institutions could no longer represent the people after the arrest of the sitting president and declared the start of the "1.19 Democratic Uprising" to eradicate what they termed as treasonous forces.
The police expressed concern that such declarations signify a direct challenge to state authority, raising the possibility of further disturbances similar to those at the Western District Court. In response, the National Police Agency convened an emergency meeting to reinforce security measures at key public institutions and prepare for a strict response to any future illegal gatherings. The Southern Gyeonggi Police Agency has deployed additional riot police units to the Seoul Detention Center, where President Yoon is held, and plans to double the personnel starting January 20.
