Conservative groups mobilize amid speculation over Yoon’s arrest

Protests swell outside Yoon’s residence, tensions mount

Members of conservative groups and supporters of South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol lie on the ground in front of the entrance to the presidential residence in Yongsan District, Seoul, on Jan. 2, 2025, in defiance of police orders to disperse./News1

Supporters of South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol blocked roads leading to the presidential residence in Hannam-dong on Jan. 2 as speculation grew over a potential arrest warrant being executed by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO).

As of the time of the protests, the CIO had not moved to execute the warrant. However, conservative groups issued urgent calls for supporters to rally, claiming an arrest team was en route.

Around 2 p.m., approximately 60 of Yoon’s supporters occupied a 15-meter section of one lane on Hannam-daero, a road leading to the residence. The area, usually restricted by police to prevent gatherings, was breached by demonstrators who lay down in the street in defiance of dispersal orders. Police eventually allowed the protest to continue under the condition that demonstrators remain stationary.

Elsewhere, larger rallies unfolded, with supporters occupying three lanes of Hannam-daero and displaying placards bearing slogans such as “End fraudulent elections” and “Stop legislative dictatorship.” At one rally, a speaker urged demonstrators to hold their ground, declaring, “The CIO is reportedly moving with an arrest team. This is the day we fight to the end!”

The protests were amplified by the participation of Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon of Sarang First Church and members of the Liberty Unification Party. Their organization, the National Movement to Set Korea Straight, mobilized supporters despite the CIO having not initiated any arrest action.

A view of South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol’s residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan District, Seoul, on Jan. 2, 2025./News1

While pro-Yoon rallies dominated the streets, tensions flared as anti-Yoon activists also gathered nearby. The groups, including YouTubers with opposing views, clashed in front of the residence, exchanging shouts of “Arrest Yoon Suk-yeol” and “Jail Lee Jae-myung.” The confrontations escalated into verbal abuse and physical altercations.

President Yoon, addressing supporters outside the residence the previous day, expressed gratitude for their efforts, stating, “I’ve been watching your dedication through live-streamed broadcasts. I’m deeply moved and concerned.”

On Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, thousands of Yoon supporters rallied against his potential impeachment and arrest, in contrast to smaller anti-Yoon protests, which drew only about a dozen participants each day.

However, the dynamics are likely to shift, as a coalition of 1,500 civic groups, including the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, Federation of Korean Trade Unions, and People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, held a press conference near the residence on Jan. 2. The coalition, known as the Emergency Action for Yoon Suk-yeol’s Resignation and Social Reform, has criticized the administration, citing rising inflation and currency instability as threats to citizens’ livelihoods.

The coalition plans to stage a larger protest near the residence at 7 p.m., raising concerns about potential clashes. Among the anticipated participants are members of a youth-led group known as the “Light Stick Protesters,” who previously called for Yoon’s impeachment outside the National Assembly.

[Jeong Du-yong]

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