On the 8th, despite the severe cold below freezing, both pro and anti-impeachment camps held large-scale rallies across the country over the weekend.
The Korea Restoration Movement Headquarters (Daekgukbon), led by pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon, held a "Gwanghwamun Revolution National Convention" starting at 1 p.m. in the Sejong-daero area of Jongno-gu, Seoul.
As of 3:30 p.m., the number of participants was estimated by organizers at 3 million, while police unofficially estimated around 35,000. Participants held placards reading "Open the Election Commission server!" and "Invalid impeachment, arrest Lee Jae-myung," and shouted slogans like "Free President Yoon Seok-yeol!"
Representative Yoon Sang-hyun of the People Power Party, who appeared on stage with Pastor Jeon, noted, "When warm spring comes, the day will arrive when we warmly welcome President Yoon Seok-yeol along with patriot citizens in this beautiful square," urging, "Let’s not give up and fight for the day of hope."
The Protestant organization Save Korea held a "National Emergency Prayer Meeting" around noon near the National Assembly Station on Line 9 in Yeongdeungpo-gu, advocating for "the legality of martial law."
A rally against President Yoon's impeachment was also held at Dongdaegu Station Square. Both the Dongdaegu Station on the Daegu Urban Railroad Line 1 and the Korail station temporarily suspended the operation of the escalators going up. According to police estimates, the number of attendees at this rally was approximately 52,000, about four times the estimated 13,000 attendees at the Busan rally on the 1st.
In Gwangju, the first rally against impeachment since the emergency martial law of Dec. 3 was held. Conservative YouTuber Ahn Jeong-gwon led a rally in the Geumdang-ro area of Dong-gu, attended by about 50 citizens. The venue of the rally was moved from the Democratic Plaza of Gwangju, which was not approved for use, to near Jeonil Building 245.
The Emergency Action for Immediate Resignation of Yoon Seok-yeol and Social Reform (Emergency Action), in favor of the impeachment of President Yoon, held the "10th Citizen's General March" at the area around Gyeongbokgung Station on Line 3 in Jongno-gu at 5 p.m. The police's unofficial estimate of participants was around 5,000 as of 5:30 p.m.
Co-chair Lee Yong-gil of Emergency Action criticized, "The People Power Party is not only the main body of the Dec. 3 insurrection but also clearly the 'force of insurrection' inciting far-right forces."
The Candlelight Action group calling for the president's removal held the "126th Nationwide Concentrated Candlelight Cultural Festival" around 3 p.m. at Anguk Station on Line 3 in Jongno-gu. Approximately 10,000 people, as estimated by the organizers, gathered for the rally.