Public turns out for candlelight vigils protesting Yoon after martial law order — in pictures
![Protesters from various civic groups and political organizations rally in front of the Dongwha Duty Free Shop in Gwanghwamun, Jongno District, central Seoul, on Wednesday. [KIM JONG-HO]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/05/8cd40d43-f755-477d-9fba-1cea78e044de.jpg)
Protesters from various civic groups and political organizations rally in front of the Dongwha Duty Free Shop in Gwanghwamun, Jongno District, central Seoul, on Wednesday. [KIM JONG-HO]
Candlelight vigil condemning President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law and calling for his resignation were held across the nation on Wednesday.
This marks the first time in eight years that simultaneous candlelight vigils have taken place since the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye in 2016.
Various civic groups, including the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, held such a rally at 6 p.m. in front of the Dongwha Duty Free Shop in Gwanghwamun, Jongno District, central Seoul. The event attracted an estimated 10,000 participants, according to organizers. The participants chanted such phrases as “arrest Yoon” and “Yoon, step down” while holding candles.
"I experienced martial law in 1979," Lee Hyun-kyu, a 63-year-old retired teacher from Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang, said, adding, "I attended the rally after a three-and-a-half-hour journey to prevent such events from happening to the next generation."
![Protesters from various civic groups and political organizations rally in front of the Dongwha Duty Free Shop in Gwanghwamun, Jongno District, central Seoul, on Wednesday. [KIM JONG-HO]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/05/086ca2e2-b61c-4fb7-bf7e-aeb1c9278466.jpg)
Protesters from various civic groups and political organizations rally in front of the Dongwha Duty Free Shop in Gwanghwamun, Jongno District, central Seoul, on Wednesday. [KIM JONG-HO]
![Protesters from various civic groups and political organizations rally in front of the Dongwha Duty Free Shop in Gwanghwamun, Jongno District, central Seoul, on Wednesday. [KIM JONG-HO]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/05/35242d4d-1082-4be5-9d76-65edd766a2dc.jpg)
Protesters from various civic groups and political organizations rally in front of the Dongwha Duty Free Shop in Gwanghwamun, Jongno District, central Seoul, on Wednesday. [KIM JONG-HO]
In front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, where troops attempted to enter under the martial law order the night before, approximately 2,000 citizens gathered, according to police estimates.
![Protesters from various civic groups and political organizations rally in front of the Dongwha Duty Free Shop in Gwanghwamun, Jongno District, central Seoul, on Wednesday. [KIM JONG-HO]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/05/7ab4fbe5-f526-4e70-8baf-ab9c6434f7f5.jpg)
Protesters from various civic groups and political organizations rally in front of the Dongwha Duty Free Shop in Gwanghwamun, Jongno District, central Seoul, on Wednesday. [KIM JONG-HO]
![Protesters from various civic groups and political organizations rally in front of the Dongwha Duty Free Shop in Gwanghwamun, Jongno District, central Seoul, on Wednesday. [KIM JONG-HO]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/05/c09c50ab-f909-41c4-bd7c-58bc482d2699.jpg)
Protesters from various civic groups and political organizations rally in front of the Dongwha Duty Free Shop in Gwanghwamun, Jongno District, central Seoul, on Wednesday. [KIM JONG-HO]
In Gwangju, local civic and social groups held a rally at the May 18 Democracy Square in front of the former South Jeolla provincial office at 7 p.m. Earlier that day, at 9 a.m., an impromptu gathering took place at the same location with around 500 participants.
An anti-Yoon protest was also held in Daegu, a city known as the "heart of conservatism." Around 1,000 alumni from universities in the Daegu and North Gyeongsang regions issued an emergency declaration at 5 p.m., calling for the president’s resignation.
![Protesters rally at Jung District, Daegu, on Wednesday. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/05/cfe5f32c-3a06-4942-87fe-49d5c8a9937c.jpg)
Protesters rally at Jung District, Daegu, on Wednesday. [YONHAP]
![Protesters rally at Jung District, Daegu, on Wednesday. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/05/26d1d177-cd5e-4c66-9070-e68f2acf9b59.jpg)
Protesters rally at Jung District, Daegu, on Wednesday. [YONHAP]
Candlelight vigils were also held in various locations, including the Geodu Intersection area in Chuncheon, Gangwon, in front of Jeju City Hall’s civil complaints office on Jeju Island and in Changwon Square in South Gyeongsang.
In Busan, daily rallies demanding the president's resignation, are planned in Seomyeon, Busanjin District, through early next week.
![Protesters rally in front of Jeju City Hall’s civil complaints office on Jeju Island on Wednesday. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/05/31585b6c-e274-4beb-8d6d-279f910641f5.jpg)
Protesters rally in front of Jeju City Hall’s civil complaints office on Jeju Island on Wednesday. [YONHAP]
![Protesters rally at the May 18 Democracy Square in front of the former South Jeolla provincial office in Gwangju on Wednesday. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2024/12/05/67ebd093-ee25-4ca3-a3cb-d512a38c7f6b.jpg)
Protesters rally at the May 18 Democracy Square in front of the former South Jeolla provincial office in Gwangju on Wednesday. [YONHAP]
BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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