At the Acropolis in front of the Student Union Building at Seoul National University Gwanak Campus
Police and university officials intervene to separate both sides as tensions rise
In Gwanak-gu, Seoul, at Seoul National University Gwanak Campus, pro-impeachment and anti-impeachment groups held rallies.
Yonhap News reported that around 11:30 a.m. on the 17th, students supporting and opposing impeachment held separate rallies facing off at the Acropolis in front of the student union building at Seoul National University Gwanak Campus.
On the 17th, at the Acropolis Plaza of Seoul National University in Gwanak-gu, Seoul, the Korean University Students Progressive Union and students (front) held a rally in favor of impeachment, while members of conservative groups and students held a rally opposing impeachment. Photo by Yonhap News
Originally, an anti-impeachment declaration by Seoul National University students was scheduled to take place in front of the administration building at Seoul National University Gwanak Campus that morning. However, pro-impeachment students filed a counter-rally notification an hour earlier at the Acropolis plaza, resulting in both groups holding rallies in the same space.
The pro-impeachment side held signs reading "Resign immediately, traitor Yoon Seok-yeol," "How can you support a coup? Let's protect democracy," and "Let's inherit the spirit of the martyr for Yoon Seok-yeol's immediate resignation."
Lee Siheon, a student from the College of Liberal Studies at Seoul National University, took the microphone and said, "There was a historic event called the Seoul National University Battle on Saturday," and pointed out, "The Truth Forum occupied the Seoul National University Acropolis, belittling the democratization movement and expressing hatred toward sexual minorities, striking students' faces with the U.S. flag and trying to tear down banners."
On the 17th, in front of the Seoul National University Student Union building in Gwanak-gu, Seoul, conservative group members and students belonging to the Seoul National University community defending liberal democracy held an anti-impeachment rally (front), while the Korean University Students Progressive Union and students held pro-impeachment rallies respectively. Yonhap News
Students opposing impeachment held placards with phrases such as "Fraudulent election, legislative dictatorship" and "Stop the steal," and carried either the U.S. flag or the Taegeukgi (South Korean flag). They denied the results of the student general assembly vote held on December 5 last year, which demanded President Yoon's resignation following the December 3 insurrection incident. They also shouted slogans like "Impeachment invalid, complete rejection" and distributed flyers depicting Lee Seung-man, Park Chung-hee, and Yi Sun-sin to students.
After finishing their speeches, they showed opposition to the pro-impeachment group by playing gongs or religious music. As the rallies continued, some participants from both sides appeared to get into scuffles, grabbing each other's collars, prompting police and Seoul National University officials to intervene. They quickly placed no-entry tape on parking prohibition signs to separate the two groups.
Earlier, conservative groups such as the Truth Forum had announced an anti-impeachment rally at Seoul National University on the 15th but faced protests from students and alumni. On the 10th, an anti-impeachment rally was held at Yonsei University.
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