President Yoon's martial law divides public opinion and leads to large-scale rallies on the last weekend of 2024 - South Korean media

On the last Saturday of the year, the two-part square could not narrow its width by more than one kilometer.
The rally was held on the 27th, when the first hearing for the impeachment trial of President Yoon was held and the impeachment bill against Acting President Han Deok-soo was passed by the National Assembly.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, the National Movement for Reforming the Republic of Korea and the Liberty and United Party held a rally in Seoul on the 28th from 1 p.m.
The rally against the impeachment of President Yoon was held near Se Jeong-daero in Jongno-gu. The rally was centered on Sejong-daero and continued from Exit 2 of Gwanghwamun Station to Seoul City Hall.
All lanes were blocked off to the square in front of the building. The unofficial police estimate was that 35,000 people participated in the rally, while organizers estimated that 3 million people attended.
They argued that President Yoon's declaration of emergency martial law on December 3 was justified and criticized the opposition party's successive impeachment of State Council members.
Pastor Jung Gwang-hoon said, "We must implement legitimate martial law and immediately release the soldiers and police who were illegally arrested and detained, and restore the status quo. We must also stop the anti-national forces that are working against martial law."
Yoon Sang Hyun, a lawmaker from the People Power Party, also took to the podium and said, "I oppose this impeachment because it is an impeachment against the Korean system, and it is a threat to the future.
"Because it is an impeachment, an impeachment for our descendants," he said, arguing that "the opposition party is disrupting the constitutional order of Korea by running wild with legislation and running wild with impeachment."
He also apologized to the rally participants, saying, "I was unable to prevent the prosecution bill." The rally participants held up the Taegeukgi and Stars and Stripes flags, and chanted, "Martial law is legal, impeachment is invalid," and "I will sue Lee Ji-young, the mastermind of the rebellion," among other things.
Holding placards with messages such as "Arrest Lee Jae-myung," they shouted slogans such as "Our President Yoon Seok-yeol" and "Good luck to the president."
Hit songs such as "Hand in Hand" and "Tae Seo Hyung" were played, and participants were seen getting excited. One kilometer away, a rally calling for the impeachment of President Yoon was taking place.
The "Yoon Seok-youl Immediate Resignation and Social Reform Emergency Action," which is made up of about 1,500 civil society organizations including the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions and the Lawyers for a Democratic Society, held a rally at Gyeongbokgung Palace from 4 p.m.
The rally was held in front of the Eastern Cross Pavilion at Gyeongbokgung Palace. According to an unofficial police estimate, 35,000 people attended, while the organizers estimated that 3 million people attended.
Just like previous rallies, the song "We Met Again" by Girls' Generation rang out as the rally began, and the temperature felt like it had dropped below freezing, so people wrapped up in scarves and gloves.
Participants waved cheer sticks. The rally was also attended by leaders of the Democratic Party, including party leader Lee Jae-myung and floor leader Park Chan-dae. However, they were not allowed to go on stage.
Kim Eun Jung, co-chair of the Climate Crisis Emergency Action Strategy, who took the stage as a representative of the rally, said, "Even after becoming acting president, he has maintained the appointment of constitutional justices.
"The acting president, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Strategy and Finance Choi Sang-mok, who is currently in power, and the State Council members and People Power Party lawmakers who tried to justify martial law are all serious criminals," he said.
"Yoon Seok-youl, who gave the order to open fire on the people, must not be forgiven," he said. Participants in the rally held up signs reading, "Arrest Yoon Seok-youl immediately," and "Impeach Yoon Seok-youl."
After the rally ended, they marched to Myeongdong, passing in front of the Constitutional Court, and ended the rally.
The march was planned, but the route was changed after the impeachment bill was passed in the National Assembly the day before. At the rally, hot food was distributed in the freezing cold. Disposable candy was distributed at various places in the venue.
Booths were set up to distribute iro, chijimi, oden, mochi, and other foods to rally participants, and food trucks also went out into the streets to distribute free coffee to citizens.
A variety of meals were distributed free of charge, with prepayment required, from cafes and restaurants.