South Korea braces for mass rallies over Yoon’s impeachment

Seoul: Tens of thousands of people are expected to hold large-scale rallies for or against South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment Saturday, police said Friday, as the nation is still reeling from the political fallout of Yoon’s failed bid to impose martial law December 3.

Rallies are scheduled to take place in central Seoul, including Gwanghwamun, Jongno and Yeouido, prompting police and the Seoul city government to draw up measures for traffic and crowd controls, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

Political polarisation has heightened, with hearings of Yoon’s impeachment trials completed early this week. The Constitutional Court has started deliberations to decide whether to remove Yoon from office or reinstate him.

Candlelight Action, a progressive civic group, will hold a national “candlelight cultural festival” at an intersection near Anguk Station at 2 p.m.

The main Opposition, the Democratic Party, and four other Opposition parties will hold a rally calling for Yoon’s impeachment at 3:30 p.m. in the same location, and protesters will march together at 5 p.m.

Rallies led by conservative activist pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon will gather near the Gwanghwamun area of central Seoul at 1 p.m. to oppose Yoon’s impeachment and march toward the Constitutional Court.

Separately, another conservative Christian group, Save Korea, will hold a prayer meeting near a road linking Yeouido to the Mapo Bridge, Yonhap news agency reported.

Meanwhile, the South Korean Constitutional Court is expected to decide whether to remove President Yoon Suk Yeol from office or reinstate him around mid-March.

The court capped the trial after 11 rounds, 73 days after the National Assembly voted to impeach Yoon over his short-lived imposition of martial law December 3.

The impeachment motion accuses Yoon of violating the Constitution and laws by declaring martial law in the absence of a national emergency and ignoring due procedures, such as holding a Cabinet meeting and notifying the Parliament.

Yoon has argued that his declaration of martial law was an act of governance meant to send a warning to the Opposition party over its repeated impeachments of government officials and attempts to cut the government budget.

If Yoon, who was elected in May 2022 for a single five-year term, is formally removed from office, a snap election will be held within 60 days. However, if the impeachment is dismissed, Yoon will immediately resume his duties.

IANS