Rival protests are intensifying on the streets as South Korea awaits the Constitutional Court's verdict on whether to uphold the National Assembly's vote to impeach suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol.
After the court ordered Yoon's release Saturday, the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea announced it would hold nonstop protests. The party said all 170 of its lawmakers would take to the streets every day until Yoon is removed from office.
Democratic Party's leader Rep. Lee Jae-myung has canceled plans such as press interviews and instead directed the party to focus on rallies in front of Gwanghwamun.
On Wednesday afternoon, Democratic Party lawmakers marched for about two hours in central Seoul, calling for the Constitutional Court's swift impeachment of Yoon.
Several of the Democratic Party's lawmakers have also launched hunger strikes and staged head-shaving ceremonies in a show of their determination to see Yoon removed from the presidency.
Having Yoon impeached as early as possible is the "utmost priority" for the party, a three-time Democratic Party lawmaker told The Korea Herald on the condition of anonymity. "We are in a do-or-die situation," they said.
The Democratic Party going all out in the streets is the party's new strategy amid uncertainties about when the verdict from the Constitutional Court, which was anticipated sometime this week, will be announced.
The ruling People Power Party, on the other hand, is not organizing or participating in protests at the party level.
Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, the People Power Party's floor leader, told reporters Wednesday that the party leadership was not involved in any ongoing protests.
"Lawmakers who are attending the protests are making their own political statements at their own discretion," Kweon said.
Some of the party's lawmakers branded as being part of the hard-line pro-Yoon faction -- including Reps. Na Kyung-won and Yoon Sang-hyun -- have been individually speaking at protests against Yoon's impeachment.
The People Power Party floor leader said the Democratic Party was "putting pressure on" the Constitutional Court by orchestrating daily protests.
Every Saturday since Yoon was suspended in a National Assembly vote on Dec. 14, competing protests for and against Yoon's impeachment have filled the streets of Seoul and other major cities in the country.
arin@heraldcorp.com
