Protests intensify in Seoul as South Koreans rally for and against President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment, ahead of crucial final hea rings to decide his political future.
Thousands of protesters gathered in Seoul on Saturday, braving freezing temperatures to rally for or against the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol. With only two hearings left in his impeachment trial, South Koreans expressed their divided views as the Constitutional Court prepares to decide his fate.
Free Unification Party Youth Leader Lim Soo-Jin stated, "President Yoon Suk Yeol is currently fighting in court over issues related to the fake election and a systemic battle with anti-state forces. If it is to be established in court why martial law was declared, his impeachment will inevitably be void, and I firmly believe that free South Korea will recover. I believe the impeachment will be invalidated."
Meanwhile, Justice Party Leader Kwon Young-Gook argued,"I think the Constitutional Court justices are in the process of confirming, one by one, that the facts that Yoon is saying of the case are utterly unreasonable. This situation is dealing with a clear declaration of martial law: which was an unconstitutional thing to do, because it is a violation of the Constitution and the law. Therefore, the crime of Yoon's insurrection is certain, and consequently, this martial law declaration of Yoon is unconstitutional. For all of these reasons, our citizens and the public firmly believe that a decision for Yoon to be removed from his office would be made."
Yoon, who was impeached in late 2024, faces a pivotal moment as the Constitutional Court prepares to finalize its decision on his political future. The court hearings, scheduled for February 11 and 13, will determine whether the impeachment stands or if he will be reinstated.
Currently imprisoned and facing separate charges of insurrection, Yoon's declaration of martial law in 2024 became central to the impeachment proceedings. His supporters argue that the impeachment is politically motivated, while his critics maintain that his actions violated the Constitution.
As protests continue, Yoon remains detained, awaiting the final decision on both his impeachment and insurrection charges.
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