Protesters split over Yoon's impeachment in downtown Seoul
By Kim Dong-youngPosted : December 21, 2024, 17:47Updated : December 21, 2024, 17:53
Protesters gather for a rally in Gwanghwamun, Seoul on Dec. 21, 2024. AJP Kim Dong-young
SEOUL, December 21 (AJP) - Tens of thousands of people filled the streets of downtown Seoul again on Saturday, holding rival protests either supporting or opposing President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment.
The fierce protests came a week after a motion to impeach the president over his short-lived declaration of martial law earlier this month was passed at the National Assembly last Saturday.
Participants protest at a rally in Gwanghwamun, Seoul on Dec. 21, 2024. Yonhap
Police estimated that around 15,000 anti-Yoon protesters gathered in and around Gwanghwamun Square, demanding Yoon's immediate ouster from office, while approximately 31,000 die-hard supporters of Yoon rallied just a few kilometers away, calling for the cancellation of his impeachment and the arrest of the main opposition Democratic Party's leader Lee Jae-myung.
Police have beefed up security measures, setting up barricades to prevent potential clashes between protesters with opposing views.
Meanwhile, smaller protests also took place across the country.
