“We will fight together with President Yoon.”
On January 11, 2025, despite the sub-zero weather, many people gathered in front of the International Lutheran Church in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea, to participate in the rally against the impeachment of President Yoon Seok-yeol, hosted by the Youth Freedom Solidarity.
According to an unofficial police estimate, approximately 10,000 citizens participated in the rally that day. At Hangangjin Station, the closest station to the impeachment rally, participants were hurriedly walking to the rally site. Most of them were supporters of President Yoon, and had been staying up all night for several days to participate in the rally.
Because of the sub-zero weather, the participants in the rally were heavily armed with winter supplies such as blankets and scarves. Volunteers were also spotted near the rally to help the participants. Volunteers wearing blue vests were handing out coffee, ramen, hot packs, etc. to the participants for free.
There was also a food truck operated by young people near the rally. The young people were operating the ‘Youth Anti-Communist Truck’ and were handing out warm fish cakes and kimbap.
A man in his 70s, Mr. A, who lives near Anam Station in Seoul, said, “I’ve been coming out every day (to the anti-impeachment rally) for the past three days,” and “I stayed up all night because it was the weekend and guarded the rally site.” He raised his voice, saying, “I have a son in his 40s. I shouldn’t be handing down a communist country to my son.”
A woman in her 60s, Ms. B, emphasized, “I work as a painter until morning and noon and come out at night to fight,” and “It’s practically a war situation right now. We need to raise money for the continued rally.” A man in his 70s, Mr. C, who is holding a one-man protest near the rally, said, “We need to show the leftists that we are united,” and “I will come out (to the anti-impeachment rally site) every day.”
After noon that day, thousands more people began to gather. Hangangjin Station in Seoul was bustling with people, and they gathered in small groups of three or four to shout, “We must protect the incumbent president.” They were holding the Taegeukgi and the American flag in their hands. Right-wing civic groups also gathered at the rally site holding large flags.
As the number of rally participants increased, the police also moved busily. For safety, they blocked the nearby overpass and guided the participants to the crosswalk. Yongsan-gu Office also deployed safety personnel throughout the rally site. Portable toilets for the participants were also visible. The number of food trucks increased from one in the morning to three in the afternoon. The rally in front of the International Lutheran Church was filled with participants all the way to the Bukhannam intersection. The hosts leading the rally asked the participants to “move slowly and safely.”
The rally participants focused on every word of YouTubers Shin Hye-sik and Hong Cheol-gi and responded in a loud voice. They held pickets with the phrase “Stop The Steal” and “We will fight together with President Yoon Seok-yeol.”
Mr. D, a 30-year-old living in Jinju, Gyeongnam Province, said, “The suspension of the incumbent president elected by the people is the suspension of each of us from our duties,” and “I prayed to God to save this country.”
He especially raised his voice, saying, “I came up from Jinju because I couldn’t stand to see the liberal democratic Republic of Korea collapse like this.”
Mr. E, a 20-year-old youth, said, “I came out every day to protect the president,” and expressed his anger, saying, “The Democratic Party is going too far.” Regarding President Yoon’s declaration of martial law, he emphasized, “I am grateful for the president’s determination to save the country,” and “I will also risk my life to protect the incumbent president.”
At the afternoon rally, attorney Seok Dong-hyun, who has been supporting President Yoon’s defense team since the December 3 martial law, took the podium and spoke.
President Yoon’s lawyer said, “President Yoon will definitely overcome the impeachment trial and set the Republic of Korea right,” and “Although he has been under house arrest since the impeachment bill was unjustly passed in the National Assembly on December 14 last year, he is strong,” and “The president is not intimidated at all.” President Yoon’s lawyer emphasized, “The President’s only remaining body is the Secret Service. However, we will protect the current President of the Republic of Korea from the illegal and hastily requested arrest warrant together with the people,” and “We will definitely prevent the arrest of the current President.”
답글 남기기