South Korea: Nationwide Rallies Held Ahead of Yoon’s Impeachment Hearing

Seoul – Rallies both supporting and opposing President Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment were held across South Korea as the final Constitutional Court hearing approaches.

In Seoul’s Gwanghwamun area, conservative activist Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon led a pro-Yoon rally at 1 p.m., urging 30 million people to gather on March 1, South Korea’s Independence Movement Day, to oppose impeachment. Yonhap News Agency reported that police estimated the crowd at 30,000, though organizers claimed 3 million participated.

A separate conservative Christian group, “Save Korea,” held a mass rally in Daejeon, about 137 km south of Seoul, also protesting the impeachment. Attendees carried banners demanding Yoon’s release from detention and the dismissal of the impeachment case. Police estimated 10,000 participants, while organizers expected 20,000. Similar demonstrations took place in Incheon and Daegu, further reflecting the strong conservative support for Yoon.

Meanwhile, anti-Yoon protesters gathered across the country, demanding his immediate removal from office. Near Gyeongbokgung Station, around 11,000 people rallied, while organizers claimed a turnout of 100,000. Another protest near Anguk Station, close to the Constitutional Court, drew 9,000 people, though organizers reported 35,000 in attendance.

The final hearing on Yoon’s impeachment is scheduled for Tuesday. The Constitutional Court will then decide whether to remove him from office or reinstate him. Yoon was impeached by the National Assembly on December 3 for imposing martial law, a move that sparked political turmoil.

With both supporters and opponents taking to the streets, the nation remains deeply divided as the court’s decision looms, shaping South Korea’s political future.