A Million Voices: Citizens Unite in Peaceful Protest at South Korea’s National Assembly

A rally calling for the impeachment of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol drew massive crowds to the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on Saturday. Organizers estimated attendance at 1 million, though police placed the figure at over 150,000. Despite the size of the gathering, the event stood out for its peaceful and orderly conduct, capturing the attention of both domestic and international media.

According to police reports on Sunday, there were no incidents of violence, clashes with law enforcement, or property damage during the rally, which called for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol.

While large crowds gathered across the country, the rally in front of the National Assembly stood out for its calm and orderly conduct, catching the attention of international media.

In a display of generosity, many cafes and restaurants near the National Assembly participated in a pre-payment relay, offering free food and drinks to rally participants. Some cafes had pre-paid for as many as 1,000 drinks, while others contributed dozens. In addition, attendees were seen cleaning up after themselves. Some shared hand warmers, while others distributed rice cakes to ensure no one went hungry.

Despite the massive turnout, the rally ended remarkably clean and organized. Not a single piece of trash was left behind. While there were visible signs of disappointment after the impeachment motion against Yoon was rejected, the participants maintained their sense of civic responsibility throughout the event.

Without any prompting, participants took it upon themselves to clean up after the event. Many picked up the trash from their seats, while some even used their bare hands to gather litter. Others took the initiative to wheel around trash bins to help with the cleanup.

One man, interviewed by JTBC’s Newsroom, explained his actions: “I wanted it to be a gathering that everyone could be proud of, especially with the attention from the global media.”

In response to the event, online commenters expressed their admiration, posting remarks such as: “Only the citizens can raise our national dignity,” “It’s so heartwarming,” “This is the best civic responsibility in the world,” “The people unite even more in difficult times,” and “It was cold, but our hearts were warm.”