Rabat – Amid a fierce snowstorm on Sunday, thousands of South Koreans braved the harsh weather to rally either in support of or against President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is embroiled in a legal struggle following his botched attempt to declare martial law and his defiance of arrest.
The rallies, set against a backdrop of political turmoil, came just a day before the warrant for his arrest expires.
The one-week warrant for his detention is valid through Monday.
Yoon has caused a national crisis since his failed attempt to declare martial law last month, which plunged the country into chaos.
Now, holed up in the presidential residence and surrounded by hundreds of loyal security officers, his every move is being scrutinized by supporters and critics alike.
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Despite the bitter cold blanketing the capital, tens of thousands of people made their way to Yoon’s residence.
“Snow doesn’t scare me. They can throw all the snow at us, and we’ll still stand firm,” Lee Jin-ah, an anti-Yoon protester, told the AFP.
Yoon faces serious charges of insurrection, a crime for which presidential immunity does not apply.
If convicted, he could face a lengthy prison sentence or, in the worst case, the death penalty.
Should the arrest warrant be carried out, Yoon would become the first sitting South Korean president to face arrest.
In the wake of these events, South Korea’s opposition Democratic Party called for the dissolution of the security service protecting Yoon.
The call followed a dramatic standoff on Friday when hundreds of Yoon’s guards and military personnel blocked investigators from making an arrest, citing safety concerns.
Yoon’s downfall began on December 3, when he attempted to impose martial law, justifying the decision as necessary to counter “anti-state elements.”
However, facing widespread national opposition, he reversed the controversial move just six hours later.
The situation worsened when armed forces stormed the national assembly in an unprecedented display of power. Lawmakers swiftly acted, overturning Yoon’s decree and voting to impeach him, effectively removing him from office.
The political stalemate further deepened last week when acting President Han Duck-soo was impeached by parliament over accusations of inaction during Yoon’s presidency.
