Musk's "Wow" Reaction to Photos of Protests Opposing Yoon's Impeachment

Reply to SNS Post Sharing Korean Situation
Consistent Reactions Since Martial Law Period
However, No Specific Stance or Opinion Provided

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and considered the 'First Buddy' (the president's close friend) of President-elect Donald Trump, expressed surprise upon seeing photos of protests opposing the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol.

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, X (formerly Twitter) capture

On the 4th (local time), Musk posted a reply saying "WOW" on his social media platform X (formerly Twitter) under a post reporting on a rally supporting President Yoon. The photo in the post showed a woman holding a placard with the phrases "STOP THE STEAL," "Martial law is legal! Impeachment is invalid! God bless our country, long live," written on it.

The reason Musk showed interest is interpreted to be because the phrase "STOP THE STEAL" originated from the 2020 U.S. presidential election. At that time, Trump, the Republican candidate, used the phrase after refusing to accept his defeat to Democratic President Joe Biden. He frequently chanted this phrase at campaign rallies during the election period, implying that if he lost, it would be due to fraudulent voting. Later, Trump's refusal to concede the election escalated into the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.

Additionally, the slogan "Fight Fight Fight" written on the corner of the placard in the photo was also shouted by Trump to his supporters after he was shot during a rally in July last year.

Earlier, on the 4th of last month, Musk shared a post about the South Korean National Assembly passing a unanimous resolution to lift martial law with a majority of 190 members present, commenting "Wow" and calling the martial law "shocking." On the 3rd, he also posted "Wow, so many police" under a post showing the execution of an arrest warrant for President Yoon. Besides this, he has consistently left brief impressions regarding South Korea's martial law and impeachment, though he has not revealed any specific opinions or stances.

Meanwhile, foreign media continue to report on the situation following the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Unit's (Gong-su-cheo) failed attempt to execute an arrest warrant for President Yoon. Major international outlets such as AP and the UK’s Guardian reported on the 5th that even after the failed execution of the arrest warrant, pro- and anti-impeachment protesters remain in a standoff in front of the Hannam-dong presidential residence.