On December 14, participants at a rally in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, calling for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol, celebrate the news of the impeachment motion passing by waving cheering sticks. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Dec. 21 (Korea Bizwire) – On December 14, as South Korea’s National Assembly voted on the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol, two distinct protests unfolded in Seoul, revealing stark generational and cultural divides.
According to Seoul’s public life population data analyzed by Yonhap News, young women in their 20s dominated the pro-impeachment protest in Yeouido, while women aged 70 and older formed the majority at the anti-impeachment rally in Gwanghwamun.
In Yeouido, where an estimated 314,412 people gathered near the National Assembly and Yeouido Park, 20-something women accounted for 17.52% of attendees, the largest demographic. Women in their 30s (11.85%) and men in their 50s (11.35%) followed.
Women made up 60.91% of the protest, with young participants frequently incorporating fandom culture, including light sticks typically used at K-pop events, into their demonstration.
Conversely, in Gwanghwamun, 22,023 participants gathered near Cheonggye Plaza and Seoul City Hall, with women aged 70 and older comprising 30.64% of the crowd, followed by women in their 60s (20.32%).
On the afternoon of December 14, participants at the “National Revolution Rally to Protect the Free Republic of Korea,” organized by the conservative group Korea Movement for Restoring the Nation (Daegukbon), chant slogans opposing impeachment in front of Donghwa Duty-Free Shop in Jongno-gu, Seoul (Yonhap)
The combined share of women in their 60s and 70s reached 50.96%, with women overall making up 64.87% of attendees. The rally featured speeches from religious leaders, including Pastor Jun Kwang-hoon, reflecting a blend of religious and conservative influences.
Sociologists pointed to different cultural and social drivers for the gendered participation in each rally. The Yeouido protest, characterized by younger attendees, demonstrated the growing political engagement of women through fandom culture.
“Women have historically been active in candlelight protests, and this one showed an intersection with fandom-driven activism,” said Kwak Jung-woo, a sociology professor at Sungkyunkwan University.
In contrast, Gwanghwamun’s turnout reflected the demographic and media consumption patterns of older women. Lee Byung-hoon, an emeritus professor of sociology at Chung-Ang University, noted the influence of YouTube in shaping the worldview of older religious communities, contributing to their strong presence at the protest.
The attendance figures were estimated by subtracting typical weekend population numbers from the reported life population data during the protests. Actual participation may have been higher. The contrasting demographics highlight the generational and cultural dimensions shaping South Korea’s political landscape.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
