On the first weekend after the impeachment proposal against President Yoon Seok-yeol was passed, large-scale rallies both urging and opposing President Yoon's impeachment decision were held simultaneously around Gwanghwamun on the 21st. Until the previous weekend, rallies calling for the resignation of President Yoon were held in Yeouido, and impeachment-opposing rallies were held in Gwanghwamun. However, starting this week, all rallies have gathered in Gwanghwamun.
"Yoon Seok-yeol Immediate Resignation and Social Overhaul Emergency Action" (Resignation Action) held a rally from around 3 p.m. in front of the East Jjagak Pavilion near Gyeongbokgung. As of 5:20 p.m., the police unofficially estimated that 25,000 people participated. The Resignation Action estimated the number to be 300,000. Additionally, another rally hosted by the Candlelight Action at Anguk Station drew an estimated 3,500 people according to the police.
Participants in the Resignation rally held lightsticks and shouted slogans such as "Immediately dismiss Yoon Seok-yeol" and "Arrest immediately." They also sang Girls' Generation's "Into the New World" together. The event continued with performances by the modern rock band Broccoli, Even You and speeches by citizens.
Participants began marching at 5 p.m., passing through the Anguk-dong intersection near the Constitutional Court, and proceeded to cross Jonggak Station and Euljiro 1-ga Station.
At the same time, conservative groups such as the Korea Patriotic Citizens' Coalition (KPCC) and the Liberty Unification Party started their rally around 1 p.m. near Sejong-daero, which is about 1 km from the East Jjagak Pavilion.
As of 5:20 p.m., the section from Dongwha Duty-Free Shop to Daehanmun gathered an estimated 36,000 participants according to the police, while the organizers estimated 2 million.
Participants held placards reading "Oppose impeachment, arrest Lee Jae-myung" and Taegeukgi flags while chanting slogans such as "Investigation of martial law is a rebellion" and "Punish the pro-North Korea faction."
Jeon Kwang-hun, chairman of the KPCC, shouted "Long live President Yoon Seok-yeol" from the podium, declaring, "As the chief commander of the Gwanghwamun Revolution, I announce that the impeachment of President Yoon will be reversed."
The police installed iron fences in various locations and focused on maintaining order to prepare for potential clashes between opposing groups. Until the end of the rallies, there were no significant conflicts between the sides.