As President Yoon Suk Yeol faced arrest Friday morning following his failed martial law attempt a month earlier, protesters rallying in his support drew global attention -- not just for their fiery chants, but for their prominent display of the American stars and stripes alongside South Korea’s Taegeukgi.
As perplexing it may be to some, to many conservative supporters in South Korea the American flag has long served as a powerful emblem of anti-communism and the country’s enduring alliance with its main security partner.
A woman in her 60s, who identified herself as Ahn Young-mi, stood near a police barricade waving both the Korean and American flags. She said the flags represent the Korea-US alliance, as she expressed her hope that “the US or Trump will come and save Yoon Suk Yeol.”
Elsewhere in the crowd, a man who wished to remain anonymous handed out both miniature American and Korean flags, saying that displaying them together “signifies the alliance” and gives protesters a sense of greater strength.
On a makeshift stage, speakers led crowds in cries of “Trump manse!” -- an expression of praise for the US president-elect, who some believe could intervene in South Korean affairs to the president's benefit.
To Yoon’s conservative base, the American flag is more than just a nod to South Korea’s alliance with the US - it’s a political weapon, a symbol of anti-communism, and an expression of shared ideological values. But beyond its historical significance, this gesture reveals a deeper connection to modern US far-right politics.
Borrowing playbooks from the US far-right
The protests in support of Yoon have revealed a striking parallel with recent US political movements. Following Yoon’s December declaration of martial law -- which he justified with allegations of election fraud and threats from “pro-North Korean forces” -- claims of election manipulation have become a rallying cry for his base.
A Korea Research poll found that 65 percent of Yoon’s conservative People Power Party supporters believe last year’s parliamentary elections were rigged, even though no evidence of fraud exists.
At Friday’s protest, chants of “Invalid election!” echoed through the crowd.
These claims mirror the “Stop the Steal” movement in the US, where election denialism has fueled polarization and political unrest.
Conservative YouTube channels have played a pivotal role in amplifying these narratives. Livestreams of rallies and conspiracy-laden commentary have kept Yoon’s supporters mobilized and deeply mistrustful of official accounts. Yoon himself has admitted to following these channels, further embedding these narratives in his political messaging.
Historical roots of alliance
To understand why such displays persist -- and why they are particularly visible at far-right or deeply conservative rallies -- it also helps to revisit how the US became entwined with South Korea’s national identity.
In the 1950-53 Korean War, the US was instrumental in helping the South repel the spread of communism from the North. For many older conservatives, that era defined the US as a champion of freedom. Through successive decades of military and economic cooperation, the US fortified its image as both an indispensable ally and an almost symbolic guardian of South Korea’s security.
Consequently, when conservative factions rally, they often juxtapose the Korean flag with the American flag to underline their commitment to a robust US partnership.
Flag as a political statement
The prominence of the American flag also reflects a lingering Cold War mindset among some in South Korea’s far-right circles. For them, anti-communism remains a central ideology, and the stars and stripes has become shorthand for countering perceived threats from North Korea and its allies.
This practice resurfaced during past political upheavals as well, notably in 2016–17 when protesters opposing the impeachment of then-President Park Geun-hye waved similar flag pairings. Their message was clear: support for a staunchly conservative, pro-US direction and rejection of what they deem left-leaning or pro-Pyongyang elements in domestic politics.
Now, with Yoon facing impeachment and insurrection charges after his failed Dec. 3 martial law decree, die-hard supporters have revived these symbolic gestures. Many of them have described Yoon as a defender of “true freedom” against both domestic and foreign hostile forces.
