The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) is nearing the execution of an arrest warrant for President Yoon Seok-yeol, leading his supporters to occupy the roads leading to the Hannam-dong residence. Although the CIO has not yet departed for Hannam-dong with the arrest warrant, a conservative group claimed that the arrest team had departed and called on supporters to gather.
Around 2 p.m. on the 2nd, approximately 60 supporters of President Yoon were sitting on about 15 meters of the right lane of Hannamdong Road leading to the residence. This area was initially controlled by police to prevent demonstrators from taking position. The supporters suddenly breached police control and forced their way in, even lying down on the road when told to disperse. The police explained that they reluctantly allowed the gathering under the condition that they wouldn’t leave their current positions.
On the roads north of the residence, Yoon supporters occupied three right lanes of Hannamdong Road, holding protests against impeachment and arrest from the morning. They were holding placards with messages such as “OUT with election fraud, legislative dictatorship.” Around 11:30 a.m., the rally organizer took a microphone and exclaimed, “Folks! They (the CIO) are said to have started off with the arrest team. Today is the day to die here,” and shouted, “How can they oust a president, the chief of the CIO must resign.”
Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon of the Sarang Jeil Church and the Korea Task Force for Reviving the Republic of Korea (Daegukbon), including members of the Freedom Unification Party, notified their members, “We are told the CIO (has started to arrest President Yoon). Gather urgently at Hannam-dong.” However, the CIO has yet to begin executing the arrest warrant.
As YouTubers supporting or opposing President Yoon flocked to the residence area, physical altercations occurred. They shouted slogans like “Arrest Yoon Seok-yeol” and “Jail Lee Jae-myung,” exchanged insults and loud voices, and pushed and pointed fingers at each other. Earlier, President Yoon told supporters in front of the residence the day before, “I am watching your efforts through real-time streaming on YouTube,” and noted, “I am really thankful and heartbroken.”
On the 31st of the previous month and the 1st of this month, thousands of President Yoon's supporters held rallies in front of the Hannamdong residence opposing impeachment and arrest. Meanwhile, rallies demanding President Yoon's resignation attracted only about a dozen participants on both days.
The situation changed today. The “Emergency Action for Yoon Seok-yeol's Resignation and Social Reform (Emergency Action)” consisting of around 1,500 civil society organizations including the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, and the Korean Progressive Alliance, held a press conference near the Hannamdong residence around 2:10 p.m. They declared, “Our political and economic uncertainty is growing due to the insurgence of treason forces,” and expressed concerns, “The surge in exchange rates leading to a spike in prices may further deteriorate citizens’ lives.”
This group plans to hold a rally near the residence from 7 p.m. It is expected that the “Cheering Stick Protest Squad,” primarily consisting of women in their 20s and 30s who participated in rallies urging for President Yoon’s impeachment in front of the National Assembly, may join, heightening tensions.