‘Do your job’: South Korean protesters frustrated by floundering impeachment vote

SEOUL – Gasps of frustration. Shouts of rage. Tears. Many of the tens of thousands of protesters outside South Korea’s Parliament were overcome with emotion on Dec 7, as a presidential impeachment motion failed.

Nearly 150,000 people were estimated by police to have filled the streets around the National Assembly on Dec 7, demanding that lawmakers impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol for

his shocking imposition of martial law

four days earlier, which plunged the democratic country into turmoil.

For hours, people poured into the area around Parliament where, on the night of Dec 3, soldiers were flown in by helicopter as part of Mr Yoon’s short-lived bid to subvert civilian rule.

Ahead of the vote on the opposition-led impeachment motion, giant screens to show Parliament live feeds were set up across the eight-lane road by the National Assembly, which had been closed off to serve as a rally site.

Many protesters held banners saying “Impeach Yoon” and “Insurrection criminal”, and sang songs with lyrics such as “South Korea is a democratic republic”.

The atmosphere was festival-like, with some people bringing small children, or coming in large groups, and jaunty music punctuated by anti-Yoon chants.

But as MPs formally opened a session to determine Mr Yoon’s fate, the vast crowd fell silent, fixated on every move by the lawmakers.

A gasp of disappointment rippled through the crowd when a special probe Bill to investigate suspicions surrounding First Lady Kim Keon Hee was struck down.

Of the 300 MPs, 198 voted in favour of the probe – only two shy of the 200 needed.

Signs of frustration became more visible as ruling People Power Party MPs began leaving the main chamber to boycott the impeachment motion, which also required 200 votes to remove Mr Yoon from office.

“I feel terrible that it has come to this today,” said Mr An Jun-cheol, 24, at the rally. “What the ruling party lawmakers did today – walking away from the vote – is nothing more than an attempt to cement their power and status, with no regard for the people.”

But Mr An was resolute, saying he would keep attending the rallies until Mr Yoon was impeached.

“I am sure more people will come here for the next vote,” he said.

Ms Jo Ah-gyeong, a 30-year-old from Seoul, shared his determination.

“I’m neither discouraged nor disappointed,” she told AFP, despite the apparent failure to secure enough votes to impeach Mr Yoon. “Because we’ll get it eventually. I’ll keep coming here until we do.”

And she had a message for ruling party lawmakers: “Please do your job.”

Four days after the martial law declaration, a sign of the event remains at the National Assembly.

A white paper taped to one of its gates read: “This is the gate which the Assembly Speaker climbed over to vote down the martial law.” AFP