Flag-waving Views of the US right inspire Yoon supporters

As investigators attempted to arrest the president, Yoon Suk Yeol, yesterday morning, his supporters gathered outside the presidential residence waving two national flags: the South Korean taegukgi and the American stars and stripes.

- Raphael Rashid

To outsiders, the unexpected combination may seem baffling. But to Yoon's supporters, the US represents more than an ally; it's a perceived ideal. The symbolism of the US flag is a declaration of a broader cultural and spiritual order they believe is under threat.

Holding both flags outside Yoon's residence yesterday, 74-year-old Pyeong In-su said the police had to be stopped by "patriotic citizens," and he hoped the US president-elect, Donald Trump, could come to Yoon's aid. "I hope Trump can use his influence to help our country get back on the right track," he said, as he waved flags with the bilingual message: "Let's go together."