South Korea: Yoon’s supporters, opponents to hold rallies on Saturday

Seoul: Tens of thousands of South Korean people are expected to gather in central Seoul this weekend to rally for or against South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, police said Friday, as the Constitutional Court’s ruling on the president’s impeachment appears imminent.

Opponents of Yoon plan to meet just outside of Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul on Saturday afternoon to step up pressure on the court to rule in favour of his dismissal, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. After the rally, they plan to march toward the Biwon intersection close to the Constitutional Court.

At about the same time, rallies led by conservative activist pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon and the conservative Christian group Save Korea will take place on a road between Gwanghwamun Square and Seoul City Hall, and Yeouido in western Seoul, respectively, to oppose Yoon’s impeachment.

Many watchers speculate that the court will deliver its verdict on Yoon’s impeachment next week at the earliest.

The police said it will deploy about 230 traffic police officers around the rally and march sites to minimise inconvenience to people.

Traffic in the downtown area is expected to be congested on Sunday as well, due to an international marathon, Yonhap news agency reported.

The “2025 Seoul Marathon,” hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the Korea Athletics Federation and the Dong-A Ilbo newspaper, will be held throughout the city on the day, and traffic will be sequentially controlled from Gwanghwamun Square to the Seoul Sports Complex in southern Seoul, the police agency said.

Earlier in the day, South Korean Acting President Choi Sang-mok demanded the National Assembly to reconsider an opposition-led bill calling for a special counsel probe into President Yoon Suk Yeol over an alleged influence-peddling scandal linked to the 2022 parliamentary by-elections.

The bill, passed by the Democratic Party (DP)-controlled parliament on February 27, seeks an investigation into allegations that Myung Tae-kyun, a self-proclaimed power broker, received approximately 76 million won (US$52,300) from former ruling party lawmaker Kim Young-sun in exchange for helping secure her nomination in the by-elections.

–IANS