Protests in Seoul Against Yoon Suk-yeol's Impeachment

On the afternoon of April 5, supporters of former President Yoon Suk-yeol gathered in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, to protest against his impeachment, which was ruled by the Constitutional Court just a day prior. The demonstrators, primarily from the Liberty Unification Party and the Korea Restoration Movement, chanted slogans declaring the impeachment invalid and insisted that there would be no presidential election in June.

Despite the rainy weather, around 500 participants (according to police estimates) donned raincoats and held umbrellas while waving South Korean and American flags. They displayed stickers on their umbrellas with messages such as 'Eliminate anti-state forces!' and 'We will exercise our right to resist!' The crowd swelled to approximately 18,000 by 2:30 PM.

During the rally, a representative from the Liberty Unification Party expressed regret for not being able to prevent what they termed an 'illegal and fraudulent impeachment,' prompting a somber reaction from the audience, with some attendees offering words of encouragement.

Many participants voiced disbelief over the Constitutional Court's decision. Namgung Il, a 54-year-old from Namdong-gu, Incheon, described his feelings as 'devastating,' stating that the court seemed to favor the National Assembly's perspective over that of the president. He noted that the president had adequately explained the rationale for military deployment, which he felt was not properly acknowledged.

Choi Hong-kyu, an 84-year-old resident of Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, who has attended protests since the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye, shared his distress, saying, 'How can they impeach a president who stood up for this country and its people?'

Another protester, 66-year-old Myung Mo from Eunpyeong-gu, remarked that the gloomy weather reflected the sentiments of the conservative faction who feel robbed of their president. He stated, 'I cannot accept this politically motivated fraudulent impeachment. Even though the unanimous ruling has left us feeling powerless, we cannot simply kneel and accept it.'

Incheon resident Lee Mo, 39, who wore multiple 'Stop the steal' badges, expressed surprise at the unanimous ruling, saying, 'I expected the Constitutional Court to provide stability, but I was shocked by the outcome. I also feel resentment towards the People Power Party for preparing for an early election despite the fraudulent impeachment.' He urged that public opinion should not overshadow their voices.

While nearly 20,000 citizens participated in the rally, the turnout was lower than previous gatherings. A rally held on March 29 in Gwanghwamun attracted around 30,000 attendees, while another event in Yeouido drew approximately 9,600 participants. The Save Korea group canceled their planned rally on April 5 following the Constitutional Court's decision regarding Yoon's impeachment.