Hundreds of South Korean protesters clashed Thursday outside the ousted president’s official residence in Seoul, some demanding his immediate detention and others calling for protection against the threat of arrest.
Under an arrest warrant, Yoon Suk Yeol, 64, remains holed up in his residence, promising to “fight until the end” against the authorities who seek to question him over his failed attempt to impose martial law.
Since his coup on December 3, Mr. Yoon has shown no regrets and his systematic refusal to submit to questions from investigators has raised fears that an attempted arrest could degenerate into violence, further aggravating the deep crisis that he is going through. the fourth largest economy in Asia.
Hundreds of Yoon’s loyal supporters, including radical-right YouTubers and evangelical Christian leaders, gathered outside his residence in Seoul, facing anti-Yoon protesters and riot police.
A woman threw herself in front of a police bus, her arms outstretched over the windshield. Other supporters of the ousted president lay down in the street, eyes closed and arms crossed, when police tried to dislodge them.
Park Shi-dong, a 74-year-old protester, told AFP he was there to “fight to the death to save liberal democracy”, saying Mr. Yoon was vindicated and should not be impeached.
“Impeachment invalid!” protesters shouted while waving South Korean flags and red light sticks.
“Yoon Suk Yeol, Yoon Suk Yeol, we protect you! We protect you!”, we could also hear.
Dozens of people broadcast images of these demonstrations live on YouTube, AFP journalists observed.
– “Stop injustice” –
On Wednesday, Mr. Yoon sent a message to his most radical supporters outside his residence, telling them he was watching them on YouTube and urging them to help him “defend democracy” and “fight to the end “.
The opposition and several experts have denounced this approach, which they see as an attempt to mobilize the most extreme demonstrators, likely to degenerate into violence.
But Mr Yoon’s supporters like Kim Sang-bae, 63, said they would not leave the area, determined to “stop the injustice” of arresting a sitting president – a first in the history of South Korea.
A pro-Yoon protester was arrested for obstructing police, local media reported.
The arrest warrant was illegal, Mr. Yoon’s lawyers said, and his security team refused to comply with previously issued search warrants.
The president himself ignored the summons of the Corruption Investigation Bureau (BEC) three times, prompting investigators to issue an arrest warrant.
– Anti-Yoon –
Nearby, hundreds of anti-Yoon protesters staged a rival rally, singing the national anthem as dozens of riot police struggled to separate the two rival camps.
The anti-Yoon were “hit on the head and attacked several times” by the opposing camp while they tried to hold a press conference, according to one of them, Bae Hoon, 46.
“I had the feeling that if we had stayed five minutes longer, a serious incident would have occurred,” added Mr. Bae, adding that the police had tried to intervene, but were outnumbered.
“The pro-Yoon crowd was stifling, with about 500 to 600 people surrounding us, and others joining us, until the first insults and attacks,” described Mr. Bae.
Mr. Yoon must await the Constitutional Court’s final decision on his dismissal, and faces prison time or even the death penalty on the insurrection charges.
“I haven’t been able to sleep for days, so my frustration pushed me here,” said No Seung-gap, a 52-year-old protester, holding a huge flag reading “Execute Yoon Suk Yeol “.
For him, taking to the streets is also a way to put pressure on investigators.
“Let the world know that the people of South Korea will not tolerate this absurd attempt to destroy our democracy,” he concluded.
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