by Moon Hyewon
by Park Chunghun
Published 09 Dec.2024 15:09(KST)
Updated 28 Feb.2025 09:07(KST)
On the afternoon of the 7th, participants holding cheering sticks at the "Treason Yoon Seokyeol Resignation! Realization of People's Sovereignty! Great Social Reform! Nationwide Candlelight March" held in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, are urging the passage of the impeachment bill. Photo by Yonhap News
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On the afternoon of the 7th, participants at the "Treason Charge Yoon Seokyeol Resignation! Realization of People's Sovereignty! Great Social Reform! Nationwide Candlelight March" held in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, waved LED candles against the wall in front of the National Assembly. Photo by Yonhap News
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On the evening of the 7th, when the impeachment vote against President Yoon Sukyeol was underway, participants at the rally urging President Yoon's impeachment held at Yeouido Park in Seoul performed wearing masks with the faces of President Yoon, Minister of Justice Han Donghoon, and Floor Leader Choo Kyungho. Photo by Heo Younghan
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On the afternoon of the 8th, participants held related placards and cheering sticks at the candlelight cultural festival urging the impeachment and arrest of Yoon Seokyeol, held in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News
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On the afternoon of the 8th, participants held related placards and cheering sticks at the candlelight cultural festival urging the impeachment and arrest of Yoon Seokyeol in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News
원본보기 아이콘
On the afternoon of the 7th, participants at the "Treason Charge Yoon Seokyeol Resignation! Realization of People's Sovereignty! Great Social Reform! Nationwide Candlelight March" held in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, urged the vote on the impeachment motion. Photo by Yonhap News
원본보기 아이콘
On the afternoon of the 7th, participants are taking photos at the "Treason Yoon Seokyeol Resignation! Realization of National Sovereignty! Great Social Reform! Nationwide Candlelight March" held in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News
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"Who said candles go out when the wind blows? That's why this time, we brought LED cheering sticks that never go out."
On the 7th, at the 'Impeachment Rally Against President Yoon Suk-yeol' that filled the area around the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, idol group cheering sticks with the word "impeachment" appeared. Citizens in their 20s and 30s brought cheering sticks that keep shining as long as you change the batteries, and chanted "impeachment" over and over. Just like that day eight years ago, when citizens, outraged by the Choi Soon-sil political scandal, poured into the streets shouting, "Is this even a country?"
On October 29, 2016, at the first candlelight rally calling for the resignation of former President Park Geun-hye, I was just a young reporter in my fourth year. I vividly remember my senior colleagues at the company urging me not to go out, saying, "Your safety comes first," "Don't go," as rumors of martial law spread on social media. With trembling hands, I took my notepad and a pen and climbed out of the subway that day. What I saw at Gwanghwamun Square was not tanks or soldiers, but citizens holding candles. Every subway station was packed with people, but the rally continued peacefully without a single person getting hurt. Even after the rally, citizens cleaned up all the trash, and this civic consciousness impressed foreign media.
The K-protest has now evolved. Last weekend, citizens gathered in Yeouido held LED cheering sticks that don't go out in the wind. In the bitter winter cold, they lifted their spirits with K-pop and dance, finding clever ways to overcome the chill. "Nothing lasts forever, in the end you changed," they sang a famous idol song lyric at the top of their voices. Did President Yoon and the People Power Party truly understand the people's sentiment?
On the 7th, when the impeachment motion against President Yoon was put to a vote in the National Assembly, Yeouido was packed with an estimated one million people, according to organizers. That day, unextinguishable lights surrounded the National Assembly. Although the impeachment bill was discarded due to People Power Party lawmakers refusing to participate in the vote, citizens called this day "not the end, but the beginning." Just like eight years ago, the rally ended with everyone cleaning up. It was neat and peaceful.
On the 3rd, when martial law was declared, armed soldiers broke the windows and stormed the National Assembly, helicopters landed one after another?a scene of violence. And yet, on the 7th, the same space was filled with K-pop group singing and the glow of idol cheering sticks. It felt surreal that these two scenes happened in the same place.
At the time, President Yoon declared, "I proclaimed martial law with a resolute will to save the nation against anti-state forces attempting to paralyze the essential functions of the state and destroy the constitutional order of liberal democracy." Which scene truly represents democracy? Who are the anti-state forces destroying the constitutional order?
Photo description=On the afternoon of the 7th, participants shed tears after the impeachment motion itself was dismissed during the 'Treason Charge Yoon Seokyeol Resignation! Realization of National Sovereignty! Great Social Reform! Nationwide Candlelight March' held in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul. Yonhap News
Moon Hyewon hmoon3@asiae.co.kr
Park Chunghun parkjovi@asiae.co.kr
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