South Korean President’s Supporters Camp Out Near His Home

Thousands of supporters of President Yoon Suk Yeol have been camped out for days on the pavement near his home in central Seoul, vowing to block anyone from trying to detain or arrest him.

In a constant rally near the president’s home, supporters have called his parliamentary impeachment “null and void.” On Thursday evening, they waved national flags and light batons and chanted: “Let’s protect Yoon Suk Yeol!”

More came out Friday morning as officials arrived at the residence to execute a court warrant to detain Mr. Yoon for questioning on insurrection charges.

“I came here to save the president and the country!” Kim Suni, 80, said outside his residence in Seoul on Friday.

Mr. Yoon’s abrupt declaration of martial law on Dec. 3 triggered national outrage, prompting the opposition-dominant National Assembly to impeach him and a number of mass demonstrations against him. But Mr. Yoon still had die-hard supporters among mostly older South Koreans, with conservative churches organizing them in large rallies in downtown Seoul.

Many of them have moved near Mr. Yoon’s residence since a Seoul court issued a warrant on New Year’s Eve for officials to detain him for questioning. In a message delivered to his supporters on New Year’s Day, Mr. Yoon called them “citizens who love freedom and democracy” and thanked them for braving the cold weather to show their support.

“I will fight with you to the end to save this country,” Mr. Yoon said.

Cha Myong-in, a former conservative lawmaker, urged Yoon supporters to form “a human chain” to deny officials access to the presidential residence. Dozens of supporters lay on the pavement, with their arms locked, across the alley leading to Mr. Yoon’s residence. Police removed them, with some