Thousands of demonstrators gathered in central Seoul on Saturday in a charged vocal show of support for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol - just over a week after the Constitutional Court upheld the National Assembly's decision to remove him from office.
With South Korea's presidential election officially scheduled for early June, the political climate is rapidly heating up. Many of the protesters claim they're not just backing Yoon, but also opposing what they perceive as an unfair, politically motivated impeachment process - calling for his reinstatement even as potential successors from major parties begin throwing their hats into the ring.
"I thought this country was everything—like, this was our whole life. But it turns out it wasn't. I kept thinking, 'This country can't keep going down this path,' and that's why I've been coming here continuously since 2019," said Kang Min-jin, a pro-Yoon protester.
Yoon was ousted on April 4, when the Constitutional Court upheld a motion passed by the National Assembly to impeach him over his short-lived martial law imposition last December.
Despite the court's unanimous ruling that Yoon violated constitutional limits on his power, his supporters argued the judgment was not in line with the public will.
"The impeachment that occurred wasn't a legitimate one. So, I believe we have to stop this impeachment by any means. It’s invalid. With that conviction, I come out here like this every week," said Kwon Jeong-taek, another protester supporting Yoon.
Meanwhile, political parties are scrambling to nominate their presidential candidates. Names from both the ruling and opposition camps are being floated, but the real question is who will be able to unite a deeply divided electorate just weeks before voters head to the polls.
The South Korean government has formally set June 3 for the snap presidential election, a date confirmed in a cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who has been the acting president since Yoon’s removal.
Under South Korean law, when a president is removed from office, an acting president must set a date for a snap election within 10 days, with the election required to take place within 60 days. The election day has been designated a temporary national holiday.
Thousands rally in Seoul to support ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol
