A crowd fills the streets exterior the entrance gates of the Nationwide Meeting in Seoul’s Yeouido on Dec. 3, 2025, throughout a rally to mark the one-year anniversary of the tried self-coup by Yoon Suk-yeol, who was later impeached and deposed. (Yoon Woon-sik/Hankyoreh)
“Keep in mind ‘Human Acts.’ We’re all human.”
The girl holding the handwritten signal referencing Han Kang’s novel concerning the 1980 bloodbath of civilians by martial legislation troops in Gwangju launched herself as simply one other nameless unemployed particular person of their 30s. It had been fairly some time since she broke out the signal she made whereas watching martial legislation troops invade the Nationwide Meeting a 12 months in the past, she mentioned.
“I saved it with me, because it felt just like the rebel wasn’t over,” she mentioned.
Yeo Hyeon-su, 43, shared these sentiments, main him to unfurl as soon as once more a 5-meter-wide, 3.5-meter-tall flag which reads, “We the folks have the ability.” Park Yeon-woo, 20, confirmed up with a inexperienced mild stick for Means V, a Ok-pop group characterised by its range.
On the primary anniversary of what’s come to be recognized in Korea because the “Dec. 3 martial legislation disaster” or the “Dec. 3 rebel,” round 30,000 Koreans (organizer estimate; 12,000 in accordance with unofficial police estimates) chanted slogans, reflecting on the victory gained by atypical civilians and considering the work that continues to be whereas gathered on the road in entrance of the Nationwide Meeting — a avenue which solely a 12 months earlier had been crammed with army and police and the cries of anguished Koreans.
The commemorative council of Bisang Motion for Yoon Out and Social Reform, composed of roughly 1,700 civic teams, held a march on Wednesday night. The council declared in an announcement that whereas “democracy and civilians emerged triumphant,” the rebel is “not but over.”
It additionally identified that whereas many protestors had taken the mic to demand that society create the situations for democracy and lives of dignity and respect for human rights, free from discrimination, there’s a lot work that continues to be to be performed.
A girl who launched herself as “simply one other unemployed 30-something” holds up an indication referencing the Han Kang novel “Human Acts” that she crafted whereas watching martial legislation troops storm the Nationwide Meeting in December 2024. (Yoon Woon-sik/Hankyoreh)
The march was collectively organized by main political events, together with the Democratic Occasion of Korea, the Rebuilding Korea Occasion, the Progressive Occasion, the Primary Earnings Occasion and the Social Democratic Occasion. President Lee Jae Myung, who beforehand expressed a willingness to attend, didn’t make an look, citing security issues.
Audio system on the rally appeared again on the previous 12 months, expressing concern over the threats that democracy nonetheless faces at the moment.
“I discovered of the numerous ‘Yoons’ scattered all through our society, those that enabled the previous president to realize such clout,” mentioned Yoo Ha-young, who launched herself as a feminist democratic citizen.
“These protests taught me that revolutions are usually not led by heroes, however by atypical folks. Allow us to go away Yoon behind and are available collectively to withstand oppressive forces and stand in solidarity with minorities to create a greater tomorrow,” she went on.
Lee Ju-won, a center faculty scholar hailing from South Chungcheong Province’s Buyeo County, thanked his fellow Koreans by saying, “It was because of everybody right here that I used to be capable of go to high school at the moment.” He additionally expressed concern, stating, “The far proper is concentrating on me and my friends with its propaganda machine.”
Upon concluding the rally in entrance of the Nationwide Meeting, civilians marched behind vehicles emblazoned with the banner, “The rebel is just not over,” towards the Folks Energy Occasion headquarters. Folks have been each severe and playful when waving their colourful flags and light-weight sticks, mirroring the scenes that performed out in protests the place folks demanded Yoon’s impeachment and arrest. Civilians marched alongside to the melodies of the Eighties protest track “March for the Beloved” and the Ok-pop anthem “Into the New World.”
Contributors in a rally exterior the entrance gates of the Nationwide Meeting in Seoul’s Yeouido on Dec. 3, 2025, wave mild sticks and chant slogans as they mark the one-year anniversary of the tried self-coup by Yoon Suk-yeol, who was later impeached and deposed. (Yoon Woon-sik/Hankyoreh)
The New Freedom Union and Free College, organizations recognized to be staunch Yoon supporters, additionally hosted their very own counterprotest in entrance of the PPP headquarters in Seoul’s Yeouido District, with individuals sporting banners that learn, “Should you apologize, it’s best to die.” The counter protesters have been extra nettled at sure PPP lawmakers for apologizing for final 12 months’s martial legislation declaration than at Lee and the Democratic Occasion.
Counterprotestors went by the names of the 25 PPP lawmakers who attended a press convention that day to apologize, which included Kim Jae-sub and Ahn Cheol-soo, calling them “traitors.” After supporters listened to Yoon’s official assertion, publicized by his authorized crew, from the stage, the group started to chant “My president, Yoon Suk-yeol.”
By Lim Jae-woo, workers reporter; Jang Jong-woo, workers reporter; Cho Hae-yeong, workers reporter
Please direct questions or feedback to [english@hani.co.kr]
