Thousands of South Koreans staged protests outside parliament which called for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol over his failed attempt to implement martial law earlier this month. The candlelight vigil, organized in front of the National Assembly building located in Seoul, was attended by about 40,000 people according to organizers. Shouting chants like “Yoon Suk Yeol, step down” echoed through the crowd and “Disband the People Power Party (the ruling party).” The police’s unofficial estimation put the number of protesters at 6.000.
This latest gathering occurred just before the planned second motion of the opposition for Yoon’s impeachment, who barely survived the first attempt last week due to the absence of ruling party legislative members. Since the impeachment vote was rescinded on 7 December, daily marches protesting the ruling have ensued.
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Separate from that, conservative ideological groups, such as the Liberty Unification Party and the National Headquarters for the Movement to Build a Right Republic of Korea (Daegukbon), held a national convention titled “Eliminate the injection faction for free unification and protect the free Republic of Korea” in Seoul. An estimated 3,000 people attended the gathering, according to organizers, with an unofficial police figure of about 500. Participants waved both the Taegeukgi and the American flag at the event.
Thousands of South Koreans outside the parliament picketed, demanding the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol on the counts of failed imposition of martial law earlier this month. The National Assembly candlelight vigil was, by the estimate of the organizers, 40,000 people strong. Yoon Suk Yeol, step down, and Disband the People Power Party echoed out through the crowd. An unofficial estimate from police put the protest numbers at 6,000.
It now precedes the second motion of opposition against Yoon for impeachment, having narrowly escaped indictment from the first attempt last week due to the boycott of ruling party lawmakers. Since the impeachment vote was canceled on December 7, protest rallies have been held on a daily basis.
On the other hand, a national assembly called “Eliminate the injection faction for free unification and protect the free Republic of Korea” was held in Seoul and organized by conservative groups such as Liberty Unification Party and National Headquarters for the Movement to Build a Right Republic of Korea (Daegukbon). Attended by around 3,000 people according to the organizers while the police say there were only 500, the rally featured people waving the Taegeukgi and the American flag.
The Finance Minister of South Korea, Choi Sang-mok, said that the recent volatility in the financial and foreign currency markets is “extravagant,” given the fundamentals of the nation’s economy. Following the introduction of martial law last week by President Yoon, the currency fell sharply below the 1,440 won level for the first time in over two years, while the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) declined considerably. According to him, increased volatility notwithstanding, the fundamentals and external stability of the South Korean economy remain solid.