Political instability highlights polarized public opinion in South Korea

Seoul, Jan 9 (IANS) Despite a cold wave and subzero temperatures, large-scale overnight rallies near the presidential residence of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul have continued since late Tuesday when the Seoul Western District Court extended an arrest warrant against Yoon.

Police estimated that over 600 conservative protesters opposing Yoon’s impeachment participated in the rally, wielding red batons, waving the Taegeukgi and the Stars and Stripes, and chanting slogans such as “Oppose impeachment,” “Defend the Republic of Korea.”

Citizens demanding the impeached president’s immediate arrest also held a rally near the presidential residence, shouting slogans like “Arrest Yoon Suk-yeol” and calling for the High-ranking Officials Criminal Investigation Office to execute the arrest warrant swiftly.

The police used buses to separate the two camps to prevent potential clashes.

Yoon declared martial law on the night of December 3 last year, but it was revoked by the National Assembly hours later. The opposition filed an impeachment motion against the president and it was passed in the National Assembly on December 14.

The impeachment was delivered to the constitutional court to deliberate it for up to 180 days, during which Yoon’s presidential power was suspended. Investigators attempted on January 3 to arrest the impeached president, who was named by investigative agencies as a suspected ringleader on an insurrection charge, in the presidential residence, but failed as the presidential security service blocked the execution of the warrant.

On Wednesday, acting President Choi Sang-mok urged relevant authorities to do their best to prevent any injuries to citizens or physical conflict between government agencies while executing Yoon’s arrest warrant.

Public opinion over the impeachment is polarized. Some South Korean media outlets reported that Yoon’s approval rating rose after the impeachment, gaining more support from the conservative wing, while a poll released on Monday by polling agency Realmeter showed that nearly 60 percent of respondents believe the opposition should take power in the next presidential election.

Support for the Democratic Party stood at 45.2 per cent, surpassing the ruling People Power Party’s 34.4 per cent.

Kim Hyeon-su, a citizen in Seoul, told Xinhua news agency that people generally believe that Yoon’s martial law order itself is questionable. Furthermore, the political process to resolve the aftermath has been complex and frustrating.

“South Korea’s National Assembly is currently in a ‘small ruling party, large opposition’ situation, with the ruling party losing control over national affairs. While they should be managing the aftermath, the ruling party cannot do so, leaving the public dissatisfied with the way the powerful opposition is handling the issue,” Kim said.

“Frankly, I am dissatisfied with the government’s handling of this political crisis. The situation is chaotic, and the government seems to lack effective countermeasures. Following the impeachment of Yoon, discussions of impeaching the acting president have arisen, further complicating the situation,” said Hong Seong-bin from Gyeonggi Province.

“I hope we can soon elect a legitimate president rather than continue relying on an ‘acting’ leader to manage national affairs. What we need is a leader who can stabilize the situation and focus on national development, instead of endless blame and conflict,” said Hong.

On Tuesday, the South Korean constitutional court, currently reviewing Yoon’s impeachment, said during a press conference that it would “act in good conscience” and “deliver an independent judgment.”

The court on Thursday reaffirmed its commitment to conducting fair trials. “As an independent tribunal, the constitutional court will never be shaken by public opinion campaigns outside the court and is conducting fair trials,” a spokesperson of the court stressed.

According to the country’s daily Hankyoreh, public support for Yoon’s impeachment is “overwhelming.” A series of New Year opinion polls released on January 1 showed that approximately 70 percent of respondents favored the impeachment.

Kwon Ki-sik, a former presidential secretary for state affairs monitoring, said that the constitutional court’s primary focus in reviewing Yoon’s impeachment should be legal analysis, noting that there is little room for debate over the constitutional violations associated with Yoon’s emergency martial law.

Public opinion, as reflected in various polls, is also a significant factor, he said, suggesting that while the trial must prioritize legal principles, the court cannot ignore the political implications and popular sentiment surrounding the case.

–IANS

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