Two PPP politicians have sparked controversy by accusing Chinese residents of supporting protests calling for President Yoon's impeachment. At a pro-Yoon rally near the presidential palace last week, lawmaker Kim Min-jeon said: "The Chinese people are leading everywhere, supporting impeachment."

Ms Kim also asserted that the impeachment movement reflected a battle between defending liberal democracy and the risk of losing it. However, when criticized for targeting foreigners, Ms Kim denied discrimination, but stressed: "Foreigners should stay out of local politics."

Another lawmaker, Yoo Sang Bum, claimed on Facebook that Chinese citizens were “very involved” in the protests. Yoo also shared information from an online chat group, in which someone claimed to “hear Chinese everywhere” at the protests.

Responding to the allegations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning called them "deeply troubling statements" and urged Seoul not to "exaggerate groundless accusations." The Chinese Embassy in Seoul also warned its citizens not to engage in political activities in South Korea, stressing that violations could lead to deportation.

President Yoon Suk-yeol was impeached by the National Assembly on December 14 following his brief declaration of martial law on December 3. He has since been suspended from office and is awaiting a ruling from the Constitutional Court.

During this time, Mr. Yoon remained at his residence in Seoul, refusing to cooperate with investigations and summonses. His declaration of martial law was seen as an attempt to control the situation after anti-government protests. However, critics called it a misguided move to consolidate power.

In addition to the pro- and anti-impeachment protests, the divide in South Korean society is becoming increasingly evident. While pro-impeachment protesters camped near Yoon’s residence, the anti-impeachment side also gathered to demand the arrest of opposition leader Lee Jae-myung on charges of election fraud and corruption.

Domestic critics accuse the ruling PPP of exploiting anti-Chinese sentiment to distract the public from political problems and President Yoon’s failures. Many say allegations of Chinese interference in South Korean politics are baseless conspiracy theories.

The escalation of tensions with China threatens to worsen diplomatic relations between the two countries, while domestic political divisions continue to grow. Professor Chang Jung-a of Seoul National University said that only a small number of foreign students joined the protests out of curiosity, but the story was blown out of proportion to serve political interests.

Hoai Phuong (according to SCMP, CNN)