Seoul, Feb 8 (IANS) Police have launched an investigation into online community users suspected of preparing mob violence at the Constitutional Court amid suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol’s ongoing impeachment trial, authorities said on Saturday.
The Seoul Yeongdeungpo Police Station said it is tracking down the users who uploaded several posts discussing their plans for an alleged riot at the Constitutional Court on the online community DC Inside, reports Yonhap news agency.
The court is deliberating whether to remove Yoon from office by upholding the parliament’s impeachment decision or reinstate him following his short-lived declaration of martial law on December 3.
On a post uploaded at 3 a.m. the previous day, a user said he explored the premises of the court, sharing various photos inside and outside of the building.
“The walls around the court are low so it won’t be too hard to climb over it,” he wrote, suggesting people pretend to be visiting a nearby cafe if caught by the police.
Another user shared the blueprint of all floors of the Constitutional Court while others said they prepared baseball bats and ladders to climb over police bus barricades.
Users on this internet platform are also suspected of planning a violent mob attack at the Seoul Western District Court last month in protest against the court’s decision to formally arrest Yoon over the martial law decree.
Meanwhile, protesters from opposite ends of the political spectrum braved frigid conditions to gather for massive rallies across the nation on Saturday, one group calling for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol’s immediate resignation and the other group opposing his ouster.
They demanded the release of Yoon, currently in detention on insurrection charges over his short-lived declaration of martial law on December 3, while holding up signs claiming that Yoon’s impeachment should be nullified.
–IANS
na/
