Dueling South Korea Protests – The New York Times

It was another call to action on Friday for South Korea’s protest movement that faced off with security forces just a month ago to resist President Yeon Suk-yul’s declaration of martial law.

Those first mass protests got results: Mr. Yoon’s stunning declaration of martial law on December 3 was reversed, and the National Assembly then impeached him and opened an investigation into whether he had led the rebellion.

But in the weeks that followed, paralysis and polarization began to set in. That’s what protesters found on the roads outside Mr. Yoon’s official residence.

There were already a large number of Mr. Yoon’s supporters. They rushed to his neighborhood after being shocked by news on Friday morning that moves were afoot to arrest him in connection with the declaration of martial law last month. Yoon’s other supporters He’s already been there for several dayscamped out on the sidewalk near his home in central Seoul, and vowed to obstruct any efforts to detain him.

Law enforcement officials withdrew after trying for hours to fight their way through Mr. Yoon’s supporters and confront larger numbers of his personal security team. A warrant for his arrest for formal questioning was not executed.

Thousands of anti-Leon protesters rushed to confront thousands of Yoon supporters. For his supporters, it was a moment of joy and challenge. To his critics, he feels bitter frustration.

“I’m very angry,” said Lee Yi-seul, 19, a college student in Seoul, who was walking toward Mr. Yoon’s house with a crowd of protesters demanding his arrest.

The demonstrators occupied part of the road near Mr. Yoon’s home and intended to camp out overnight. “Arrest and arrest Yoon Seok Yeol immediately!” Read the signs they uploaded. “Let us eliminate the accomplices, sympathizers and the Rebellion Party!”

Kim Eun-hyung, 20, described the presence of Mr. Yoon’s supporters as “an attempt by the hard right to protect its interests” and rejected their claims. He said Mr. Yoon could not remain in power.

“It makes no sense to leave someone who declared martial law against the country in office,” he said.

Kang Hye-sun, 57, joined the pro-Leon protest on Friday afternoon after seeing the news earlier about the plan to arrest him. I learned via YouTube that his supporters were near his residence.

“Yeon Suk-yeol fights alone,” she said while crying. She added that she believed there was fraud in last year’s elections, when his ruling party lost the majority in the National Assembly.

She was carrying a poster that read “Stop the Steal,” a slogan promoted by former President Donald J. Trump to cast doubt on the results of the 2020 presidential election in the United States, which he lost.

“What happened to Trump is happening to Yeon Suk-yeol,” she said.

Nearby, pro-Leon protest leaders aired similarly conspiratorial claims of mass voter fraud in recent elections, calling Mr. Yoon’s impeachment by the National Assembly invalid.

One pro-Leon protester waved her stick at demonstrators demanding Yoon’s arrest, shouting: “What country are you from?” Some anti-Leon protesters urged police to arrest a pro-Leon protester, accusing him of spitting at the crowd from a pedestrian bridge overlooking the street.

But police officers wearing neon yellow vests surrounded both groups of protesters. There was tension, loud noises, and the occasional stampede, but no outright violence.

As darkness fell, protest leaders demanding the impeached president’s arrest urged demonstrators to sit down as they began camping on the road outside Yoon’s residence.

Thousands of demonstrators continued to chant, “Arrest Yoon Suk-yeol!” While sitting on the cold asphalt. Temperatures in Seoul, which were just above freezing on Friday, are expected to drop to 17 degrees Fahrenheit overnight.

Ms Lee, who planned to stay out all night, said she had put on a thick winter coat and brought an extra jacket in her backpack.

“I will speak out so that he is removed and the people involved in the rebellion are punished,” she said.