Although former President Yoon Suk-yeol has been impeached, police barriers set up near the Constitutional Court remain in place in case of emergencies. As a result, local small business owners have not yet returned to normal operations. Some supporters of former President Yoon also gathered near the official residence in Hannam-dong over the weekend.
According to police on the 7th, after the Constitutional Court announced the impeachment of President Yoon at 11:22 a.m. on the 4th, the pro and anti-impeachment rallies concluded without major clashes. However, a 250-meter section from Anguk Station to Jaedong Elementary School along Bukchon-ro in front of the Constitutional Court remains completely closed to traffic.
By around 2 p.m. that day, there were 32 police buses installed as barriers on Bukchon-ro. Barricades were placed on the road, reducing the passage for pedestrians to half. Only two people could barely pass each other, causing pedestrians to repeatedly 'stop and go.'
Buses passing through Bukchon-ro also stopped operations. A student, Kim (23), who was on his way to meet a friend, said, “I was relieved because the smartphone map app said I could take the bus, but I was surprised when no bus arrived at the stop,” adding, “I searched for over 10 minutes for a bus stop, but all were blocked, resulting in a wasted trip.”
Since December of last year, various gatherings have continued near the Constitutional Court for four months. While there was noise pollution from the gatherings, pedestrian traffic also became inconvenient, impacting local small businesses. Lee (44) said, “Even though the protest has ended, the barriers are still obstructing the view of the shops,” and added, “Bukchon restaurants are a place for enjoying the serene scenery, so the damage is significant.”
The police have stated that they will maintain a minimal level of vigilance until the area around the Constitutional Court is completely stabilized. Acting Chief Park Hyun-soo of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said at a press conference on the 7th, “It is still difficult to say that all factors of danger have disappeared, and the Constitutional Court is also feeling anxious,” explaining, “We plan to maintain vigilance for the time being.”
On the day of the visit, there were no protesters near the Constitutional Court, but over the weekend, supporters of President Yoon gathered in small numbers near the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan District, Seoul. They carried placards saying 'YOON AGAIN' and held Korean flags. A 'Yoon Again' rally is planned to march from Itaewon to in front of the official residence on the evening of the 8th.