45,000 protesters pack Yeouido to call on parliament to impeach Yoon

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45,000 protesters pack Yeouido to call on parliament to impeach Yoon

Published: 07 Dec. 2024, 16:46 Updated: 07 Dec. 2024, 19:48

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Protesters rally in front of the National Assembly complex in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Saturday. [KIM MIN-YOUNG]

Feverish shouts from people of all ages and the thunder of drums were heard as protesters calling for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol came together in front of the National Assembly complex on Saturday afternoon ahead of the parliamentary vote.

Civics groups, trade unions and citizens of all walks of life gathered in front of the parliament complex in Yeouido, western Seoul. After Yoon declared martial law on Tuesday night, a move that many politicians and people alike viewed as a surprise, protests have been going on across the nation.

Saturday was no exception, with 45,000 showing up, according to a police estimate as of 3:30 p.m., filling the entire street in front of the National Assembly complex and reaching all the way back to Yeouido Park, a distance of around 1 kilometer, or over half a mile.

This included young protesters, like an 18-year-old student surnamed Goo, who showed up out of a sense of civic duty.

“My mother told me not to come here today, saying that the adults will sort it out,” said Goo. “But I didn’t see the adults sorting it out, so I decided to take it upon myself.”

Protesters rally in front of the National Assembly complex in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Saturday. [KIM MIN-YOUNG]

“It was nice to see a lot of like-minded people show up,” she said. “I expected doom and gloom, but the protests were lively and energized.”

Because of the crowds, subway trains skipped the National Assembly Station, according to Seoul Metro, operator of Line No. 9.

The bustling crowd was well-organized, though the organizers leading the chants and the calls-and-responses were still creating a lot of volume. But the noise didn’t seem to bother the people at the scene.

Protesters rally in front of the National Assembly complex in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Saturday. [KIM MIN-YOUNG]

“I used to not be interested in politics much,” said a 25-year-old surnamed Park. “But I knew something was off when martial law was declared.”

“My friends were with me,” she said. “My parents, not so much, but so many are here shouting the same things I was thinking.”

When asked about the prospects of whether the impeachment bill against Yoon will be passed in the National Assembly, the responses were defiant, saying that it is not about whether it will, but a matter of whether it should.

Protesters rally in front of the National Assembly complex in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Saturday. [KIM MIN-YOUNG]

“It must pass,” said a 20-year-old student named Yoon. “Many say the civic organizations are here for their agenda, but they are just like us, ordinary people too.”

“[The bill] better pass. I couldn’t be more ashamed by my family name right now.”

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]