Police dispersed about 60 supporters of President Yoon Suk-yeol who staged a surprise occupation in front of the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, on the afternoon of the 2nd. This was 4 hours and 30 minutes after the occupation began.
According to the police, about 60 supporters of President Yoon breached the police barricade and entered the main gate of the presidential residence around 12:20 p.m. that day, starting a sit-in protest on the road. Their intent was to physically block the arrival of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) if they came to execute an arrest warrant.
Yongsan Police Station issued five disbandment orders to the group, but the protesters did not comply. The police stated to the demonstrators, "You are continuing illegal activities by occupying the road and conducting unregistered assemblies and protests. Your actions are causing inconvenience to many citizens and threatening public safety and order." The police asked journalists and citizens to move to the sidewalk for their safety and blocked pedestrian access in front of the residence. At around 4:40 p.m., the police began dispersal by removing one demonstrator at a time with four officers per individual.
They held signs such as "martial law is legal, impeachment null" and "Lee Jae-myung, a rebel leader." When the police action started, they lay on the road and resisted by struggling but were all moved within 10 minutes. During the dispersal, they chanted "Yoon Suk-yeol." The police arrested two of them on charges of obstructing official duties.
After issuing the second dispersal order, the police first moved Ih Sang, a lawyer from the defense team of former Ministry of National Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyeon, who was participating in the rally. Ih shouted into a megaphone, "Stop illegal assault."
They were forcibly disbanded for holding a sit-in at a location where assemblies and protests are prohibited under the Assembly and Demonstration Act. According to Article 11 of this Act, protests are banned within 100 meters from the boundary points of the presidential residence, the Speaker of the National Assembly's official residence, the Chief Justice's official residence, and the Chief Constitutional Court Justice's official residence.
For this reason, both pro-Yoon and ouster-demanding rallies are being held outside the 100-meter radius from the residence. Currently, around 5,000 supporters of President Yoon (according to unofficial police estimates) are rallying in front of the International Lutheran Church, about 200 meters from the residence. The 'Yoon Suk-yeol Resignation and Social Major Reform Emergency Action' held a press conference in front of the Volvo Building, more than 100 meters from the residence.