Seocho-dong Rally Against Yoon: "Arrest Again" vs "We Must Protect Him"

Opinions Divided Despite News of Yoon's Departure from the Party

On the afternoon of Saturday the 17th, rallies were held near the courthouse in Seocho-gu, Seoul, with one group demanding the arrest of former President Yoon Seokyeol and another group supporting him.

Former President Yoon Seokyeol, who has been indicted on charges of leading an insurrection, is attending the resumed trial in the afternoon on the 12th at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu. 2025.05.12 Photo by Joint Press Corps

Candlelight Action, which has been organizing rallies in favor of impeachment, held its 140th nationwide candlelight march for the construction of a democratic government and the eradication of insurrectionist forces at 4:00 p.m. in front of Exit 9 of Gyodae Station. The group called for the arrest of former President Yoon. As of 5:40 p.m., an estimated 1,200 people (according to an unofficial police estimate) had gathered.

Participants held placards reading "Arrest insurrection leader Yoon Seokyeol again" and "Eradicate insurrectionist forces with an overwhelming victory," and chanted slogans such as "Let us carry on the spirit of the 5·18 Democratization Movement and eradicate the insurrectionist forces."

When news broke that former President Yoon had left the People Power Party, Kim Minseok, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party, took the stage and criticized, "The People Power Party should have disciplined and expelled him early on, and before that, he should have reflected on the coup and insurrection. But the party never did, and today, instead of expelling him, they severed ties with Yoon Seokyeol through his voluntary departure."

Participants also raised their voices to criticize the judiciary. They mentioned allegations that Judge Ji Guyoun, who is in charge of Yoon's insurrection case at the Seoul Central District Court, had been entertained at an adult entertainment venue, and demanded, "Fire and arrest Ji Guyoun for being entertained at a room salon." They also criticized Supreme Court justices who had rendered a verdict of guilt in the remanded trial of Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jaemyung.

After the rally, participants marched from Gangnam Station to Sinnonhyeon Station.

Earlier, at 2:00 p.m., conservative YouTubers including Bellado held a rally in support of former President Yoon in front of the west gate of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office on Banpo-daero. According to an unofficial police estimate, 3,500 people participated.

Participants, holding placards with messages such as "Defend the judiciary, uphold the rule of law," along with the Taegeukgi and the Stars and Stripes, chanted slogans like "President Yoon Seokyeol" and "Yoon Again."

Speakers on stage shared the contents of former President Yoon's Facebook post announcing his departure from the party, asserting, "We must protect President Yoon."

Some participants, apparently in protest of the postponement of Lee Jaemyung's trials until after the presidential election, shouted "Hold the trial!" and one even shaved their head on stage.