Large-scale gathering broke out near the presidential residence. Park Geun-hye supporters and opponents insulted each other. Some citizens were arrested after clashes with police

As South Korean society remains divided over the arrest of suspended President Yoon Suk-yeol, tens of thousands of people rallied near Hanam-dong in Seongnam-gu, Seoul, where Yoon is to be taken into custody, on the evening of April 4 following the issuance of his arrest warrant on January 2.

The air was tense in Hanam-dong. Supporters and opponents of Yoon shouted insults at each other while police stood in between. One woman was seen crying as she was removed by police, while a group of middle-aged men shouted in unison, "This isn't the way to do things, President Yoon!" A 25-year-old protester, meanwhile, shouted "Freedom!" as she was also taken away in handcuffs.

Two people were arrested in connection with the clashes with police as protesters marched toward the president's residence early in the evening. The demonstrations come less than nine days before South Korea is set to hold its general election.

After a planned rally in Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul in the afternoon had ended, the crowd began to slowly make its way toward Hanam-dong, where a large group of Yoon supporters had already gathered. By 4:30 p.m., the rally sites of the two opposing groups had almost converged and there was a palpable sense of conflict between those who support Yoon and those who seek to end his presidency and put him behind bars.

Seongnam-gu's transportation infrastructure quickly became jammed with demonstrators. At the main metro station exit near the presidential residence, a line about 150 meters long formed just to cross the overpass to get to the residence.

Two members of the Korean National Council of Trade Unions (KNCTU) were arrested earlier in the day on charges of obstructing the performance of police duties. The arrests happened around noon when KNCTU members attempted to obstruct traffic and clashed with riot police. As the number of demonstrators increased in the afternoon, Hanam-daero was "taken over" by protesters, with all but one lane blocked.

The road was fully blocked in the late afternoon, and the Seongnam police station gave a dispersal warning, telling protesters to stop occupying the road. According to the police's unofficial estimate, there were more than 27,000 people at the protest site.

In South Korea's capital region, where about 26 million people or half the population reside, tensions are running high as the day of Yoon's arrest rapidly approaches. On April 2, the third day of Yoon's house arrest after a local court issued his arrest warrant on Jan. 2, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office said it would carry out the arrest warrant "as soon as possible."

But Yoon's lawyer argued that the arrest warrant is illegal, and Yoon himself said on April 3 that he would "fight to the end" on his planned appeal to restore his presidential immunity. He said, "We have to fight to the end. It is not something I can easily let go."

Amid mounting public pressure, Yoon's supporters and opponents engaged in several standoffs, with clashes between the two sides resulting in injuries.

On April 2 evening, about 10,000 people attended separate rallies in central Seoul to support or oppose the president, according to police. As the groups passed each other, some of Yoon's supporters lay down in front of the presidential residence in an attempt to prevent his arrest.

The situation escalated after the police, who had warned protesters to leave the area at least five times, used tear gas and water cannons to force out Yoon's supporters. At least 200 people, most of them Yoon supporters, were arrested.