Massive rally calling for Yoon’s ouster scheduled near Nat’l Assembly amid impeachment motion vote
SEOUL, Dec. 7 (Yonhap) — A massive crowd of protesters was set to stage a rally Saturday in western Seoul to call for the ouster of President Yoon Suk Yeol over this week’s martial law turmoil.
The large-scale rally is scheduled to take place in Yeouido, where the National Assembly is located, in the afternoon, with part of the district set to be cordoned off, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
Yoon declared emergency martial law in an unexpected decision Tuesday night but subsequently lifted it hours later as the opposition-controlled parliament voted to reject it.
The National Assembly plans to vote on an impeachment motion against Yoon later in the day.
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), one of the largest umbrella labor unions in the country, plans to participate in the gathering.
Protest organizers prepare a stage in front of the National Assembly in Seoul on Dec. 7, 2024, as part of preparations for a rally calling for the ouster of President Yoon Suk Yeol later in the day. (Yonhap)
Members of various civic groups across the country, including those from Gwangju, Daejeon and Busan, also headed to Seoul on buses to participate in the rally.
A man in his 50s was detained by police after trying to immolate himself near the National Assembly in protest of Yoon’s martial law declaration, according to officials.
The police plan to deploy hundreds of officers to help cars make detours around the route of the march in central Seoul and Yeouido.
“Although this is an extremely sensitive and challenging situation, we will do our utmost to ensure safety,” a police official said. “We will communicate with the organizers to minimize inconvenience to citizens.”
odissy@yna.co.kr
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