hankyoreh

A massive crowd gathers outside the National Assembly in Seoul’s Yeouido on Dec. 7, 2024, ahead of the vote on an impeachment motion against the president for his attempted insurrection earlier in the week. (Kim Bong-gyu/Hankyoreh)

Around a million people (according to organizer estimates; unofficial police estimate of 150,000) gathered outside the front gate of the National Assembly in Seoul on Saturday. However, the National Assembly failed to fulfill its role as an institution representing the will of the people that night.

At around 9:30 on Saturday night, ordinary Koreans gathered in front of the National Assembly learned that the vote to impeach President Yoon Suk-yeol had been automatically terminated because the National Assembly failed to reach the quorum. After shouting for Yoon’s impeachment and awaiting a dramatic upset, a hush fell over the crowd upon hearing the news. After a moment of quiet came cries of “No!” and “This can’t be!” 

The People Power Party (PPP) had convened a party meeting at the Nation Assembly on Saturday where they decided to boycott the vote on the motion to impeach Yoon. The majority of the party members respected this decision. A boycott of eight or more PPP lawmakers would result in a failure to reach the quorum, thereby automatically nullifying the motion. Only three PPP lawmakers did not boycott the vote: Ahn Cheol-soo, Kim Yea-ji, and Kim Sang-wook. 

Ahead of the vote on impeachment, a massive crowd gathered for the “Pan-Korean Mass Candlelight Rally: Out with insurrectionist Yoon Suk-yeol! Realize the sovereignty of the people! Grand social reform!” Even until the last moments before the conclusion of the vote, those gathered refused to give up hope that ruling party lawmakers would return to the plenary chamber and cast their votes. 

Addressing PPP lawmakers by name, they shouted for them to “Get back in the chamber!” The closer the deciding moment drew, the louder their voices grew. Some wrote their sentiments on their iPads: “I have a test in two days. So hurry up and get back in there!” “I have to work tomorrow. Hurry up and get back in there!” “Just for once, be the ‘power’ of the people.” 

Against the backdrop of their daily lives studying and working, Koreans gathered there pleaded for lawmakers to protect democracy. They implored them to take a stand against the president’s insurrection, by fulfilling the intended role of the National Assembly as a check on executive power.

Jeong Yu-eun, 32, a salaried company employee, was at a loss for words after she heard that voting had ended. “Haven’t the People Power Party lawmakers led comfortable lives because this is a democracy?” she finally managed to utter. “They are the ones who do not deserve to enjoy the fruits of democracy.” 

“I’m going to come back every week,” she said. 

Shin Ji-eun, 22, a university student, said, “So many people gathered on such a cold night, and yet the People Power Party did not blink. Our candles will only grow brighter.”

A crowd calling for the president to step down fills the streets from the National Assembly building all the way to Yeouido station on Dec. 7, 2024. (Ryu Woo-jong/Hankyoreh)

While the impeachment motion failed to pass, Koreans vowed to not give up, and the atmosphere on the streets was one of everyone consoling each other. Faced with the harsh reality of Tuesday’s attempted insurrection they realized that there was a line that they had to hold. Cho Min-jae, 48, said, “I took everything about life our society for granted. But now that we face this crisis, I realize that none of it came easy.”

“My daughter is in her second year of middle school. She doesn’t even know what martial law is. She couldn’t understand that the military could turn their guns on civilians,” Cho said.  

“Even so, it’s moving to see so many people give up their weekends to gather in one place. It makes me proud,” Cho said. 

Many of those present at the rally recalled the rallies for the impeachment of Park Geun-hye that took place throughout the winter eight years ago. 

“We need to get back to our lives, but disappointment and concern take precedence,” said Jeong A-reum, 28. “I think that even after going through one impeachment, the PPP isn’t afraid of the people. But just like last time, they’ll see that the public will win out in the end.”

Kim Gyun-ho, 54, said that he expected a “wildfire” of candles that would “blaze bright” like when Park was impeached. 

“We won’t give up,” he said. 

The civic groups that organized Saturday’s rally, including People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, calling the ruling party’s boycott of the vote “an act of sympathizing with insurrection that tramples on the will of the people, the true owners of the country,” and said that the public would “not tolerate the existence of the People Power Party.” 

“The forces of insurrection will attempt to corrupt our peaceful rally into violent protest,” the groups warned. “Let us see this through with peaceful assembly!”

Despite massive crowds thronging the area in front of the National Assembly — so large that some trains passed the National Assembly station and Yeouido station without stopping — there were no major clashes. Shouts of “Impeachment” could be heard echoing off the National Assembly’s gates late into the night. 

By Kim Ga-yoon, staff reporter; Park Go-eun, staff reporter

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]