Network traffic briefly slows in area around Nat'l Assembly amid impeachment vote
This photo shows hundreds and thousands of people gathering near the National Assembly in Seoul, Dec. 7. Yonhap
Network traffic in Korea briefly slowed in the area around the National Assembly on Saturday, industry sources said, as lawmakers voted on an impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk Yeol.
A number of posts and messages appeared on social media from the afternoon, complaining about the lack of internet or call connectivity near the crowded National Assembly building in western Seoul, according to the sources.
The disruptions were attributed to weakened signal strength caused by the large number of people gathered in a limited area, they added.
While lawmakers convened a plenary session to vote on a motion to impeach President Yoon over martial law turmoil, an estimated 150,000 people gathered nearby, calling for the ouster of the president.
Major communications companies said they are intensively monitoring traffic conditions and were prepared to take appropriate measures to address potential service disruptions.
Meanwhile, Naver and Kakao, operators of major online portals, confirmed there were no service failures despite a spike in searches related to impeachment.
They noted that they have expanded server capacity to handle potential traffic surges.
Naver's news page saw all-time high traffic shortly after the martial law declaration Tuesday, and the surge had briefly disrupted some of its functions. (Yonhap)