Tears and cries of joy from South Koreans burst forth in freezing Seoul on Saturday, welcoming parliament’s vote to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol after his failed attempt to impose martial law.
In this temple of hard-won South Korean democracy, lawmakers voted 204 to 85 to impeach Mr. Yoon for his “insurrectionary” attempt to suspend civilian government for the first time in more than four decades.
Outside parliament, where police said at least 200,000 people had gathered to demand his impeachment, K-pop hits blared, protesters honked horns and hugged each other as the election was announced. impeachment vote.
“I’m so happy it’s hard to put into words,” Yeo So-yeon, 31, told AFP. “If it hadn’t been successful this evening, I had decided to come every week anyway. It’s important to be present at such a historic and happy moment,” she adds.
The atmosphere resembles that of a concert, with demonstrators singing “Into the New World”, a song by Girls’ Generation, a K-pop group, which has become a protest anthem.
In a crowd so large that making their way through has become impossible, demonstrators wave their glow sticks, applaud, dance and jump to the rhythm of music and even Christmas carols.
“The moment the impeachment was officially announced, everyone started crying, including me,” said Seong Jeong-lim, 42. “We are the true masters of this country,” he insists.
“Isn’t it amazing that we, the people, achieved this together?” said Choi Jung-ha, 52, who danced in the street after the vote.
– “A better future” –
Thousands of people already gathered outside the National Assembly ahead of voting time, with the sounds of K-pop hits like Psy’s “Gangnam Style” filling the air.
Mothers set up a baby changing area and heated tents for young children to play.
“I want to give them a better future, like all parents,” says Kim Ji-woo, pointing to his 18-month-old twins. “I hope they can witness history,” she adds.
Kim Deuk-yun, 58, holds a flag from his hiking club.
“I had to go hiking today, like every weekend. I really like hiking,” he told AFP, “but I came here to support my fellow citizens.”
Jung Yoon, 18, also carries a flag, which reads “National Romantic Pirate Corp.”
“I made this flag because I love the musical +Pirates+, and I am here with my friends who also love musicals,” she explains to AFP.
– “My duty as a citizen” –
Another protester holds a sign with a sleeping cartoon character pleading with lawmakers: “Impeach Yoon Suk Yeol! Let’s go back under our covers.”
Cho Hyun-woo says he took the first train in the morning from Busan, a southern port city, to take part in the demonstration. “It’s my duty as a citizen. I didn’t have to think twice,” he said.
Saturday’s vote was not a foregone conclusion — opposition lawmakers had to convince eight lawmakers from Mr. Yoon’s People Power Party (PPP) to vote against him.
Eventually, 12 of them appear to have defected.
Lee Yong-ju, 55, told AFP he never had any doubts.
“It would have been difficult for the ruling party deputies to ignore the increasingly numerous calls from the population,” he explains.
Mr. Yoon is suspended from his functions while waiting for the Constitutional Court to validate the vote. The court has 180 days to rule on its future.
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