President Yoon Suk-yeol was arrested on the morning of the 15th and was taken from the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, to the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province. At the same time, the overnight gatherings supporting and opposing President Yoon's impeachment held daily in Hannam-dong came to an end. This was 17 days after the court issued an arrest warrant for President Yoon on Dec. 31 of last year, and Hannam-dong had escaped from being in a 'protest hell.'
On the morning of the 17th, the Hannam-dong area was quiet, except for the sound of vehicles speeding along the ten-lane Hannam-daero. There was not much traffic, allowing for smooth vehicle flow. During the gatherings related to the impeachment, protesters occupied as few as two and as many as four lanes while playing music and shouting slogans. With their complete departure from Hannam-dong, the area returned to its prior state.
To control the number of attendees at the gathering, police vehicles and personnel deployed around the presidential residence in Hannam-dong were withdrawn in large numbers. However, some police lines had yet to be removed, and a small number of police forces remained near the residence. A police official met at the scene noted, "While all protesters have left, a minimal number of personnel remain for contingency planning."
As the anticipated time for President Yoon's arrest approached, the protests intensified, and residents suffered from anxiety over potential physical clashes. With President Yoon's arrest happening without incident, residents let out a sigh of relief. Ahn Sang-in (55), who lives near the center of opposition protests at a BMW dealership in Hannam-dong, said, "I bought a lot of earplugs because I couldn't sleep due to gatherings day and night, but now it seems like I won't need them, which is nice," adding, "My wife was very anxious every time she went around the neighborhood due to the protesters, but now she feels more secure."
A man in his 30s, working as a security guard at the 'Nine One Hannam' apartment complex across from the gathering place in Hannam-dong, said, "I hear daily requests from residents asking for better control to prevent protesters from entering the complex," adding, "Since yesterday (the 16th) evening, everyone has left, so I feel a sense of relief."
On the other hand, opinions among self-employed individuals in Hannam-dong were mixed. A merchant running a café near the gathering site stated, "When I opened the shop, those who had been holding overnight gatherings flooded in and occupied the space, decreasing turnover and sales," adding, "Also, people who weren't using the store were bothering me by using the restroom or littering around the shop, but now I feel like I can finally breathe again."
In contrast, Han Mo (65), who operates a lunchbox shop, remarked, "Weekday sales have significantly increased compared to before, so honestly, I didn't dislike it that much," noting, "Normally, I would run out of materials I could sell all day long by the morning." He then said, "Now that there won't be gatherings anymore, I feel a bit bittersweet."