Thousands of South Koreans gathered and opposed the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, because the country’s constitutional court weighed whether to fire him.
The main streets through central Seoul were filled with rival protesters on Saturday, with political signs and flag-waving despite the cold weather.
Yoon has been suspended since the National Assembly, which was implicated by his December 3 martial arts decree, which has plunged the country into political unrest.
The Constitutional Court is considering whether to formally reject or restore him. If he is removed from office, he will be replaced within two months.
“When people’s unresolved crisis still cannot be resolved, people are overwhelmed,” Lee Han-Sol, who protested Yoon’s sack, told AFP News Agency. “The ongoing delays have led to growing skepticism.”
But Yoon supporters, including right-wing YouTubers and religious figures, told AFP that his impeachment trial was illegal.
“The Constitutional Court will not be able to ignore us. Looking at us, there are a lot of people here,” said Lee Hye-Sook, 58.
Former prosecutor Yoon was detained in a dawn raid on uprising charges in January but was released on procedural grounds in early March. He kept his revolt throughout the process and accused the “malicious” opposition.
A South Korean poll released earlier this month showed that 58% of respondents supported Yoon’s removal.
The Constitutional Court has 180 days from the time of the Yoon Impotence ruling, which means that his fate must not be decided until June.
It usually issued rulings on past presidential impeachment cases in the past few weeks, but it took longer without providing a reason.
At least six of the eight judges in the court had to vote to remove the dollar.
If the court insists on the impeachment of the dollar, South Korea will hold a quick election within 60 days.
Lee Jae-Myung, the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, is considered the biggest contender for the next presidential election, but faces legal challenges.
