(Bloomberg) — Protesters on the streets of Seoul erupted with emotion on Saturday after lawmakers passed a motion to impeach South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, whose short-lived declaration of martial law earlier this month stunned the nation.
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As headlines flashed on their phones that enough officials had voted in favor of impeachment, anti-Yoon protesters screamed in jubilation near the National Assembly, chanting K-pop songs and releasing balloons into the air. About 200,000 people gathered in the area, local media reported, citing an unofficial tally by police.
“I brought my kids here to show them how democracy works,” said Arron Lim, who attended the protest with his wife and three young children. “Citizens are doing their duty.”
Saturday was a big day for South Korea and in Seoul, where many thousands have gathered over the past couple of weeks to voice their displeasure for — or support of — Yoon.
The demonstrations have often felt a bit like concerts. K-pop fans turned out in droves, waving glow sticks representing their favorite pop groups and mostly pushing for Yoon’s ouster. Many celebrities, unable to join the rallies in person, wired money to coffee shops and restaurants, so protesters would have free food and beverages.
Kim Hyun Jun, 50, a realtor, called the moment historic.
His 12-year-old son also spoke up. “I think our country will do better now,” he said.
Not everybody was happy. Near Gwanghwamun Square, a central landmark for Korean history, Yoon’s backers were shocked at the outcome of the vote. Their placards read “NO IMPEACHMENT.”
On many fronts, this month’s breathless political turmoil has exposed a generational chasm between older, conservative South Koreans and younger, more liberal voters, who blame the president and his political allies for a lack of job opportunities and holding them back.
Some of Yoon’s backers were especially disheartened that the impeachment motion — which still needs to be approved by the Constitutional Court — will empower opposition leader Lee Jae-myung. His left-leaning policy stances aren’t popular with conservatives.
“Martial law was declared lawfully. How can we have someone like Lee Jae-myung, who is facing trials, serve as our president?” said Chun Eun-yong, 68.
Yoon’s most loyal supporters mourned the possibility that the president — who’s been placed under a travel ban and being investigated for the martial law decree — may end up in jail for years. Shortly after the vote was announced, many people went home, leaving only a few protesters, who sat there looking gloom.
Noh Kyung-mi, a housewife from Gimpo, didn’t want to give up. “We will win!” she shouted.
“The result is so disappointing. People won’t stay still if Lee Jae-myung becomes the president,” she said. “President Yoon will never go to prison.”
Despite the depth of disagreement, Saturday’s rallies remained peaceful, with police cordoning off the areas throughout the day. The Seoul metropolitan government on Friday said it would deploy more than 1,000 personnel, including police, firefighters and paramedics, to keep the city under control.
Rallies weren’t limited to Seoul. In Gwangju, a city in the southwest, demonstrators also gathered on Saturday, according to television footage. Protesters blasted K-pop music and passed around free coffee.
The scenes were especially symbolic. Over the past couple of weeks, South Koreans opposed to Yoon have spoken emotionally about Gwangju, where a massive student-led movement mobilized against military rule in the 1980s.
There’s no room, critics of Yoon say, for a repeat of the past.
For more on South Korea Impeachment Vote, click here for our TOPLive blog.
–With assistance from Katria Alampay, Shery Ahn, Andy Hung and Youkyung Lee.
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