Seoul, Jan 8 (NationPress) A large crowd gathered on Wednesday near the Presidential residence, comprising both supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and individuals calling for his quick arrest. This event occurred just a day after a court issued an extension on a warrant to detain him due to his controversial martial law decision.
Approximately 600 supporters assembled near Hangangjin Station, predominantly from a conservative civic group led by Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon and the Freedom Union, another conservative entity, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
Participants waved red light sticks and displayed the flags of both South Korea and the United States, chanting, 'Arrest Lee Jae-myung,' referring to the opposition leader, and 'We oppose impeachment.'
Supporters contended that the detention warrant for Yoon was illegitimate, asserting that the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), which is spearheading an inquiry into insurrection charges linked to Yoon's martial law declaration, lacks the authority to investigate such matters.
Meanwhile, a separate assembly demanding Yoon's immediate arrest took place nearby, with dozens urging the CIO to promptly act on the warrant.
No significant confrontations were reported between the two groups, although some attendees exchanged shouts and insults across the safety barrier that separated them.
To avert conflicts, police positioned a midsized bus between the opposing groups.
These rallies have been ongoing around the clock, with some participants enduring the freezing temperatures to sleep outside. Both factions have plans for afternoon demonstrations near the presidential residence and the Constitutional Court, according to Yonhap.
Earlier, on January 7, a South Korean court approved an extension for the warrant to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, linked to his short-lived declaration of martial law.
The Seoul Western District Court granted the extension as requested by investigators from the CIO after the initial warrant lapsed.
Last Friday, the CIO's effort to carry out the warrant was thwarted when presidential security personnel obstructed investigators from accessing Yoon's official residence in central Seoul.
