New York Koreans Demand Yoon Suk-yeol’s Impeachment

Amid the situation where the impeachment vote against President Yoon Suk-yeol was nullified due to the absence of the People Power Party, an emergency rally titled “Yoon Suk-yeol Resignation Nationwide Mobilization: U.S. State of Emergency Conference” was held on the afternoon of the 7th (Eastern Time) in Koreatown, New York. The rally called for the impeachment of Yoon Suk-yeol and the enactment of the Kim Geon-hee Special Prosecutor Act.

Comprising Korean residents and international students living in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, the rally strategically took place during a time when there was a high influx of Koreans, locals, and tourists, allowing the participants to unite their voices effectively. Jeong Young-min, a pastor from the Frequent Peaceful Unification Action Alliance, who acted as the host, stated, “I never imagined we would gather again to call for Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment as we did during Park Geun-hye’s impeachment. With a love for our homeland and nation, we will stand together until Yoon Suk-yeol steps down.”

In their urgent statement, the organizers declared, “Yoon Suk-yeol is no longer the president,” labeling his actions as an “organized pro-Yoon military coup and a clear act of insurrection.” They demanded the suspension of his presidential qualifications and duties, urging his immediate arrest and detention.

A young man in his twenties attending the rally shared his thoughts, saying, “I was shocked by the sudden news. Seeing my friends and many people in Korea working hard in the National Assembly made me want to contribute my support here as well.”

Participants prepared signs in both Korean and English, chanting slogans alternately in the two languages. Rick Kim, a rally organizer, mentioned, “Depending on whether the impeachment proceeds in our homeland, we are considering holding continuous emergency rallies to demand impeachment.” He emphasized that the Korean-American community is closely monitoring the impeachment crisis with serious concern.