Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol are adopting “Stop the Steal” slogans popularized by supporters of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and said they hope the future president will help their embattled leader.
As Yoon's supporters gathered outside his residence at dawn Friday to try to prevent his arrest, some carried signs in English saying “Stop the Steal,” a slogan Trump supporters have used to revive question the results of the 2020 US presidential election, which he lost.
Mr. Yoon avoided arrest on Friday after presidential guards and troops blocked efforts to execute a warrant in a probe into the criminal insurrection over the short-lived martial law he imposed on December 3.
Mr. Trump, who is due to take office for a second term on January 21, has not commented on Mr. Yoon's situation and there are no clear links between his campaign and Mr. Yoon's backers .
However, searches for the hashtag #StopTheSteal or “voter fraud” in Korean on social media platform X show recent posts uploaded by Koreans containing memes whose design appears to have been inspired by the “Make America Great Again” sign. ” of Mr. Trump.
Defense of Mr. Yoon's actions also bears similarities to Mr. Trump's political rhetoric, which discusses possible voting irregularities and defends the country against enemies at home and abroad.
Although Mr. Yoon did not mention election issues in his initial declaration of martial law, he sent hundreds of troops to search the National Election Commission (NEC) and later claimed that North Korea had hacked the NEC , but cited no supporting evidence.
He said the attack was detected by the National Intelligence Service, but the commission, an independent agency, refused to fully cooperate in the investigation and inspection of its system.
This hack cast doubt on the integrity of the April 2024 legislative elections – which his party lost handily – and led him to declare martial law, he said.
In due course, the commission said that by raising suspicion of election irregularities, Yoon was committing a “self-destructive act against an election monitoring system that elected him president.”
CNE said it consulted with the spy agency last year to address “security vulnerabilities” but there was no sign that a hack by North Korea had compromised the electoral system, and that votes take place with paper ballots.
The issue has become a major talking point for Mr. Yoon's supporters, who believe his declaration of martial law was justified, and who now hope their concerns will be echoed by Mr. Trump.
“He could really help President Yoon,” said university professor Lee Ho-chung, adding that the audience for his English-language “Stop The Steal” poster included both Americans and Koreans.
Pyeong In-su, 71, holding a flag of the United States and South Korea with the words “Let's go together” in English and Korean, said he was counting on Mr. Trump's return to save Mr. Yoon.
“I hope Mr. Trump takes office soon and raises his voice against the rigged elections in our country and around the world, to help President Yoon return to power quickly,” Mr. Pyeong.
Seo Hye-kyoung, who held a “Stop the Steal” sign with the Chinese flag, said “Chinese people came to our country and stole our votes.”
Asked about the NEC's public denial of election fraud, Seo said she trusts Yoon. “The president is not someone who would say anything bad,” she said.
Hundreds of pro-Yoon protesters surrounded the presidential complex, some staying outside all night in subzero temperatures, hoping to prevent the attempted arrest.
“Some were flying the American flag that is often seen at protests by conservatives across the country.
Mr. Trump was impeached twice, but was acquitted.
