South Koreans took to the streets this Wednesday, December 4, angry at one man: President Yoon Suk Yeol, whose abortive coup to try to impose the country's first martial law shocked the citizens of this young democracy.
Throughout the day, the streets of the capital Seoul were crossed by small groups of demonstrators and police, as unions called for a general strike, and the opposition demanded the president's resignation, accusing him of of rebellion.
In front of the seat of Parliament, where a group of 190 deputies voted unanimously on Tuesday night for a motion obtaining the lifting of martial law announced two and a half hours earlier by the president in a late television broadcast, the crowd in anger remained united against the former conservative attorney general.
“It was a self-attack, intended to protect himself and his wife,” shouts a man – in reference to a myriad of scandals that have surrounded the first lady since the start of her husband’s presidential term in 2022.
At nightfall on the large central square, in front of the museums and ministries, Choi Moon Jung, 55, distributes hot drinks to the demonstrators. “I had to be there this evening, the president is crazy,” she said with a broad smile.
Showing few signs of fatigue despite a near sleepless night for some, during which the president attempted to roll back nearly 40 years of South Korea's democratic progress, the crowd waved multi-colored flags and sang the country's national anthem.
Opposition leader Cho Kuk accuses Yoon of “attempting a coup through treason, military rebellion and violation of the law and the constitution.”
“A history lesson”
Former presidential candidate Lee Jae-Myung — who posted images on social media of himself scaling the barriers of Parliament to gain entry — salutes citizens who “risk their lives, and are ready to receive the bullets” of martial law.
According to him, the president has lost all ability to “do normal reasoning”.
“An abnormal president, with an abnormal first lady, tried to maintain abnormal power,” also summarized MP Kim Min-Seok, a respected member of the main opposition force, the Democratic Party.
Opposition lawmakers have filed an impeachment motion against Yoon, which needs the support of two-thirds of parliament to pass, as well as that of six constitutional judges.
It could be put to a vote as early as Friday, according to the Yonhap news agency.
The demonstrations bring together elderly people, some sitting with candles, but also many young people who remember the 2016 demonstrations which led to the fall of former President Park Geun-hye.
Some say they are shocked to have seen their country so close to turning its back on nearly 40 years of democracy.
“We have to defend her,” says Shin So-yeon, a young woman, barely in her twenties. “There is no other possibility.”
“It was like a history lesson,” said Park Su-hyung, 39.
“Our democracy will be trampled if we leave Mr. Yoon in power for another moment,” he said.
In the city's central square, where protesters hand out candles and hot drinks as they prepare for a night of demonstrations. They say they are ready to remain mobilized until the president leaves.
“I live too far away, the metro was closed last night, and I couldn't come to the center, but this evening I absolutely had to be there. I'm afraid it will all take a very long time, he won't want to leave” adds Nam Gi Kim, 28, a history student.
