South Korea protesters watch impeachment hopes fade

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Reuters A close up of a sea of faces at a protest in South Korea. Several people are carrying signs or waving candles and flashlights.

1As pulsating rave music boomed out of speakers set up outside Seoul's National Assembly, the protesters cheered and waved multicoloured light sticks.

2"Impeach Yoon Suk Yeol! 3Arrest Yoon Suk Yeol!" 4they chanted.

5The mood was festive, but the crowd was there for a serious cause – to get rid of the country's president. 6Police estimated the crowd to be around 100,000 people.

7On Saturday morning, four days after Yoon's abortive attempt to declare martial law, the president once again appeared on television. 8This time it was to say sorry to the nation, just hours before an impeachment vote.

9But his mea culpa did little to appease the public. 10As lawmakers began making their way to the national assembly, various protest rallies started up across Seoul. 11While a few were in support of the embattled president, most were calling on him to step down or to be impeached.

12By 3pm, most of the protesters had converged in front of the National Assembly. 13The main thoroughfare was packed with people sitting in neat rows, as police officers lined the street. 14Protest flags fluttered in the cold winter breeze, while in the side streets vendors sold waffles and pastries stuffed with red-bean paste to hungry protesters.

15With rock bands, large screens and crane cameras, South Korean protest rallies tend to resemble outdoor music festivals, and this one was no different. 16Throughout the afternoon, the crowd was entertained by jolly acapella tunes, sentimental folk songs, and protest anthems.

17The crowd sang along to "South Korea is a Democratic Republic" – a catchy children's song extolling the virtues of democracy; the stirring "A March Song for You"; and even the Korean version of "Do You Hear the People Sing" from the musical Les Miserables.

18There were also fiery speeches. 19"We must wipe out the traitors! 20If the impeachment vote fails, all 1.5 million members of our union will run straight to the presidential office," vowed one union leader.

21"The traitors will be judged by the sharpened blade of the people!"

22"Impeach! Impeach!" 23the crowd chanted back.

24But as the winter light faded into night, so did the hopes of the protesters.

EPA Protesters hold candlelights and wave flags during a demonstration outside the South Korea national assembly. There is a festival atmosphere.

25When it was time to vote on the impeachment bill, the ruling People Power Party (PPP) announced a boycott, stymying the opposition which lacked just eight votes to pass the bill.

26Almost every PPP lawmaker got up from their seats and left the chamber, as members of the opposition shouted and tried to prevent them from leaving.

27Watching these chaotic proceedings unfold on the screens outside, many of the protesters were aghast.

28"The freedom of democracy is crumbling because of just one man. 29It's killing me," lamented an office worker who attended the protest.

30"I think the lawmakers are irresponsible", said one woman.

31She had left her home at 5am and travelled for hours to Seoul, just to take part in the protest. 32"I was waiting all day for this. 33I hope they go back and vote. 34I'm trying to stay hopeful but I don't expect it to happen."

35Others were angrier. 36"I think Yoon's a total disgrace for democracy in this country. 37And the lawmakers, they should represent the people, not the president… we're very upset," said a male activist.

38"We are not going to back down until he is impeached… we will march on until our democracy finally triumphs over this madness done by this crazy president."

A woman looks at the camera whilst she holds a candle. She's wearing a heavy green warm coat and a black snood. Her face looks concerned, almost anxious. in the background are several other people, all wrapped up for cold weather - some also carry candles.

39Onstage, the protest leaders called on the crowd to surround the National Assembly, in the hopes that by blocking the gates and trapping PPP lawmakers inside, they could buy the opposition enough time to persuade enough PPP members to vote for impeachment.

40The crowd surged forward to the gates. 41As protest leaders read out the names of every PPP lawmaker, protesters chanted "Go back in, vote!" 42after each name.

43The mood lifted when PPP member Kim Sang-wook re-entered the chamber to vote, joining two others from his party who had stayed on. 44Hope rippled through the crowd, as protesters cheered and chanted Kim's name like he was a rock star.

45Organisers blasted K-pop, and the crowd started dancing, singing and waving lightsticks. 46In the distance, some did a Mexican wave to a Girls Generation song. 47Suddenly, the protest transformed into a joyful pop concert.

48For a while, the mood remained ebullient. 49Protesters believed more from the ruling party would cross the floor by the deadline of 1am.

50But there were ominous signs. 51Kim told reporters that he had in fact voted against impeachment. 52And for hours, nobody else from the PPP joined.

53Finally, at about 9pm, the Speaker said he would close the vote early. 54Immediately, the festive mood evaporated. 55The impeachment bill needed just five more votes to proceed, but they were nowhere in sight - and time was running out.

56The crowd pressed closer to the gates. 57"Go in, go in!" 58they pleaded, urging PPP lawmakers to re-enter the chamber to vote.

Reuters An aerial view of thousands of people at a protest in south Korea. There are several large banners waving above the crowd, and multiple lights twinkle in the dark.

59At 9.20pm, the speaker closed the vote. 60The crowd went silent as they watched parliamentary officials sift through the ballots. 61Some let out disappointed groans, while a few screamed angrily at the screens. 62The usual chant of "impeach, impeach" floated through the air, but it seemed to have lost its vigour.

63After what seemed like an eternity, the speaker announced the bill did not pass. 64It did not meet the quorum of 200 votes for counting. 65In the crowd, a woman cried out in pain and buried her face in her boyfriend's chest, sobbing.

66The protest leaders rushed to the stage, this time to rally people's spirits. 67"We will not stop until Yoon is punished. 68The people will not accept the existence of PPP. 69We will fight till the end, till Yoon is impeached," vowed one speaker. 70"Dear people, will you join us in our fight to remove Yoon?"

71The crowd roared back emphatically: "Yes!"

72Meanwhile, inside the National Assembly, opposition leaders vowed to table the impeachment bill again and again until they got rid of Yoon. 73They have the public on their side: three quarters of South Koreans want an impeachment, according to the latest polls, while Yoon's approval rating has slid even further to just 13%.

74In an attempt to end on a high note, the protest leaders played All I Want for Christmas as a send-off. 75"Don't forget your belongings, and please take your rubbish with you," they urged the dispersing crowd, as Mariah Carey's voice echoed down the rapidly emptying avenue.

76It won't be long till that road will fill up again. 77Another round of protests has already been scheduled for Sunday.

78Additional reporting by Jake Kwon.

from BBC