Only one YouTuber outside Supreme Court as Yoon supporters vanish

Supporters of former President Yoon Suk Yeol were nowhere to be found. The crowds that had gathered outside the Seocho-dong courthouse on every previous sentencing day — waving South Korean and American flags — had simply vanished.

Around 2 p.m. Thursday, when the Supreme Court confirmed Yoon's conviction on charges of obstructing his arrest, the area in front of the court was quiet and nearly deserted. Not a single flag-waving supporter was in sight.

Only one YouTuber stood beside the press corps, umbrella in hand, livestreaming the scene. "It seems like everyone has gone to Olympic Park," the YouTuber said. "They probably felt they had to be there to defend it, so they couldn't come here."

Outside the Seoul Central District Court — where large crowds had gathered on previous major sentencing days — just a handful of supporters were chanting slogans. Nine had assembled near the courthouse entrance around 2:10 p.m. Thursday.

Sheltering under Taegukgi-patterned umbrellas or wearing rain ponchos, they waved South Korean and American flags and called out slogans: "President Yoon Suk Yeol," "Set him free" and "Yoon again."

When news broke of the Supreme Court's seven-year ruling, supporters reacted with outrage or stunned disbelief, some lashing out with profanity.

A 59-year-old surnamed Bae, who had come from Uijeongbu, said the declaration of martial law was the president's exclusive constitutional prerogative. "Every charge that arose from it should have been acquitted," he said, his frustration evident.

A 74-year-old surnamed Kim, who had traveled from Gyeonggi Province, said he had been puzzled by the thin turnout. "I came Thursday to show my support and wondered why there were so few people," he said. "I think it's because of the heavy rain, and because so many went to Olympic Park."

Yoon Gab-byeong, 91, said the crowd was usually far larger. "On other days there were huge numbers — I think the rain kept people away this time," he said. Of the confirmed seven-year sentence, he was scathing: "They've locked up a former president — what on earth are they doing? Everyone at the Supreme Court should be the ones going to prison."

A 75-year-old surnamed Kim said the news had left her reeling. "When I heard the seven-year sentence was confirmed, I felt such a shock I got dizzy," she said. "I've been standing out here since the heavy rain started earlier, and my legs and shoes are completely soaked."

About 200 meters away, a counter-rally drew mockery toward the absent Yoon backers. Ku Tae-gyun, 63, who runs the YouTube channel Mangong TV, was dismissive. "Yoon supporters saying 'Yoon again' — that's all just an excuse," he said. "If they really meant to stand by Yoon Suk Yeol, they should have come here. Why did they all rush to Olympic Park? Because they've abandoned Yoon and chased the bigger issue."

Thursday's sparse turnout stood in sharp contrast to earlier sentencing days. When the first-instance verdict on Yoon's insurrection leadership charges was handed down on Feb. 19, about 1,000 supporters — by an unofficial police estimate — had packed the area near Seocho Station, with large LED screens and trucks brought in for the occasion.

That day, when the court sentenced Yoon to life in prison on the insurrection leadership charges, supporters broke down in tears, buried their faces in their hands, or erupted in profanity.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court's Third Division on Thursday upheld the lower court's seven-year prison sentence for Yoon on charges including obstruction of official duties and abuse of authority in connection with efforts to block his arrest.