HistoryData
politics2025

2025 riot in South Korea

January 19, 2025

Supporters of impeached South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol stormed the Seoul Western District Court, injuring police and attacking journalists in protest of his extended detention warrant.

Quick Facts

Year
2025
Category
politics

Key Facts

Date and time
19 January 2025, 03:00 KST
Target
Seoul Western District Court
Order restored by
06:08 KST
Detention warrant extension
Up to 20 additional days
Response body
Supreme Prosecutors' Office special investigation team

By the Numbers

19
Date and time
6
Order restored by
20
Detention warrant extension

Location

Map of Seoul, South KoreaMap of Seoul, South KoreaSeoul, South Korea

Cause → Event → Consequence

Cause

A Seoul court formally extended the detainment warrant of impeached South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol by up to 20 days pending a prosecutorial indictment decision. His supporters, opposed to his continued detention, organized a protest that escalated into a violent incursion.

Event

In the early hours of 19 January 2025, protesters supporting Yoon Suk Yeol broke into the Seoul Western District Court through a window. They injured several police officers and attacked journalists during the occupation, which lasted until police declared order restored at 06:08 KST.

Consequence

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office announced a special investigation team the same day, vowing to detain those involved for questioning. On 20 January, the National Assembly's Judiciary Committee and Public Administration and Security Committee addressed the incident during a legislative inquiry.

Political Outcome

Outcome

Police restored order by 06:08 KST; a special prosecutorial investigation team was formed to identify and detain participants.

Timeline Context

Timeline around 20252025202220232024202620272028Riots beginning on 9 June 2025 in Northern IrelandSnowstorm-related regional water infrastructure impacts2025 medical ethics controversy in the USFlood that happens in Nigeria 20252025 weather disaster in Bolivia2025 co-promoted professional pay-per-view eventNatural disaster in the United StatesEarthquake in Xizang, China and Nepal2025-seoul-western-district-court-riot-2025