Yintan Impeachment Rally Chinese Involvement Theory... Chinese Media Calls It "Foolish Exaggeration"

A Chinese state-run media criticized the allegation of Chinese involvement in the impeachment rallies against Yoon Seok-yeol, raised by South Korea's ruling party, the People Power Party, as a foolish exaggeration.

On the 7th, the Chinese state-run English media Global Times, citing Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP), reported that "some conservative politicians in South Korea's ruling party are exaggerating Chinese interference in political activities," and experts are analyzing that such actions are "unwise."

Yonhap News

Earlier, SCMP reported that Rep. Kim Min-jeon of the People Power Party said on the 2nd at a supporters' rally in front of President Yoon's Hannam-dong residence, "Chinese people are coming out everywhere in favor of impeachment," and that South Korea's ruling party is facing allegations of unfairly stirring anti-China sentiment to avoid punishment for President Yoon.

Researcher Xiang Haoyu from the China Institute of International Studies, directly under the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, suggested that the large Chinese community in South Korea and some Chinese people's curiosity about South Korea's unique protest culture may have led to their participation in the rallies. He pointed out that some members of the People Power Party are inflating China's involvement to avoid domestic interest and pressure related to President Yoon's impeachment.

Researcher Xiang also criticized that historically, conservative politicians of the People Power Party have promoted negative narratives about China in alignment with the West, including the United States, and that amid the prolonged political turmoil due to ongoing partisan conflicts in South Korea, dragging China into domestic political strife is not a wise move.

Earlier, on the 5th, Rep. Kim Min-jeon and Rep. Yoo Sang-beom, considered hardline pro-Yoon members of the People Power Party, claimed on Facebook that a large number of Chinese people were participating in the pro-impeachment rallies, fueling anti-China sentiment among fervent supporters.

The Global Times reported, "The Chinese Embassy in South Korea issued a WeChat notice on the 4th advising Chinese nationals residing in South Korea to avoid political rallies and crowded places, refrain from making public political statements, and pay attention to personal safety."

Previously, on the 12th of last month, President Yoon, in a national address, negatively mentioned a spy case involving Chinese nationals and Chinese-made solar power facilities, which provoked a backlash from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.