A Campus Marred by Impeachment Conflicts... Physical Clashes Not Ruled Out

As the ruling on President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment trial approaches, the two camps have been divided during the March 1st holiday, and even university campuses are suffering from impeachment rallies both for and against.

Yonhap News

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Based on the 4th, when most universities nationwide start their semester, major universities have already completed their declarations for or against impeachment or are planning additional rallies. The day before, rallies for and against impeachment were held at Chung-Ang University, Chungnam National University, and Jeonbuk National University, and on the 1st, about 2,500 members of the nationwide coalition of 33 universities, the 'Freedom Defense University Alliance,' held an anti-impeachment declaration in Daehangno, Seoul.

Impeachment-related rallies have been spreading nationwide since last month, starting at Seoul National University and expanding to Yonsei University, Sungkyunkwan University, and others. At Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, a second pro-impeachment declaration is proposed for the 7th, while Hanyang University and Sookmyung Women's University are collecting signatures for anti-impeachment declarations.

University impeachment rallies proceed with the anti-impeachment side filing rally notifications, followed by the pro-impeachment side holding counter-rallies, leading to confrontations. Such counter-rallies have been held in this manner at Yonsei University (February 10), Seoul National University (February 15 and 17), including Chung-Ang University, with some incidents escalating into clashes.

Participants in university impeachment rallies include not only current students and alumni but also political YouTubers and supporters of President Yoon. At Chung-Ang University alone, both the pro- and anti-impeachment camps initially numbered around 20 to 30 people each, but the presence of about 100 supporters of President Yoon and YouTubers increased the scale.

The involvement of outsiders such as YouTubers in university rallies has deepened conflicts between the two camps. On the 28th of last month, at a rally at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, a man participating in the pro-impeachment rally assaulted a police officer maintaining order and was arrested. Additionally, on the 26th of last month at Ewha Womans University, a student was grabbed by the collar by a male YouTuber participating in the anti-impeachment rally.

Since the semester start will increase the number of people on campus, universities are struggling with the intensifying rally atmosphere. So far, even when rally applications have been submitted on campus, they have been managed by not granting permission due to safety concerns, but alternative measures are being considered. Seoul National University is also reviewing a plan to require rally organizers to submit advance notifications detailing the number of participants, location, and use of sound equipment.

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