Supporters of President Yoon Suk Yeol held a rally on Wednesday and spent New Year’s Day camped outside the presidential residence to protest his impeachment. The rally continued overnight, and Yoon delivered a message to the crowd.
Lee Bo-kyung has more.

Report: President Yoon Suk Yeol’s supporters held a rally late into Wednesday night, holding the national flags of South Korea and the United States and chanting the president’s name in a show of opposition to his  impeachment. 

They also vowed to block any attempt to arrest Yoon.

In the midst of the rally, Yoon delivered a one-page message to his supporters around 7:30 p.m., in which he said the nation is in danger from internal and external forces infringing on its sovereignty, as well as from the activities of anti-state groups.

Yoon expressed gratitude to his supporters, saying he has been watching their efforts to protect the country’s free democracy and its Constitution via YouTube livestreams.

The impeached president added that a free democracy, where every national is the owner of the country, not the government or a political party, will surely prevail.

He also vowed to fight to the end to protect the country along with his supporters.

Yoon’s supporters have been in front of his residence around the clock ever since a Seoul court issued an arrest warrant for the president on Tuesday. 

Across the street, pro-impeachment protesters called for Yoon’s immediate arrest and accused the president of inciting his supporters. 

The police set up barricades to separate the two sides and strengthened security in case of any clashes.
KBS World Radio News, Lee Bo-kyung.