Angry citizens nationwide demand presidential resignation

[Anchor]

Protests and candlelight vigils condemning President Yoon's declaration of emergency martial law have continued across the country.

Citizens demanded the resignation of President Yoon, stating that the declaration of emergency martial law is a violation of constitutional order and constitutes treason.

Reporter Kim Ae-rin has the details.

[Report]

This is the May 18 Democracy Square, where Gwangju citizens resisted the expansion of the emergency martial law declared by former President Chun Doo-hwan in May 1980.

In response to the declaration of emergency martial law after 45 years, Gwangju citizens filled the square.

Hundreds of mobile phone lights illuminated the night.

Citizens urged the resignation of President Yoon Suk Yeol, stating that the declaration of emergency martial law is an unconstitutional measure and amounts to treason.

[Shim Sun-hwa/Secretary General of the Gwangju Chapter of the Korean Teachers and Educational Worker's Union: "Last night, we clearly saw how absurd the vague claims were that, no matter who becomes president or who becomes a member of the National Assembly, we would never return to the past dictatorship."]

Citizens in Daegu also took to the streets, using their mobile phone lights as candles.

They claimed that the declaration of emergency martial law is "an act of treason and a coup d'état that uses military and police forces," and called for the immediate arrest and detention of the president.

[Lim Seong-jong/Daegu Emergency Meeting for Judging Yoon Suk Yeol: "The declaration of emergency martial is an act of national treason, and Yoon Suk Yeol's actions are a coup d'état to protect his family."]

Voices of anger against the declaration of emergency martial law have been heard across the country since early morning.

Civic groups in Chungnam province held a press conference stating, "Democracy has been trampled," and posters demanding the president's arrest and impeachment were put up at Hannam University and Mokwon University in Daejeon.

Civic groups, labor unions, and religious organizations in Chungbuk Province also united in condemning the declaration of emergency martial law.

[Seon Ji-hyun/Co-representative of the Movement to Create a Non-Regular Job-Free Chungbuk: "Yoon Suk Yeol, who has thrown the whole country into chaos and pushed democracy back significantly, must step down immediately."]

In addition, candlelight vigils calling for the president's resignation were held simultaneously in over 30 locations nationwide, including Gangwon Province and the southeastern region of the country.

This is KBS News, Kim Ae-rin.