Protesters hold a candlelit vigil calling for President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment in front of the National Assembly in Seoul, Tuesday. Yonhap

An anonymous donor prepaid 5 million won ($3,800) for coffee at a cafe near the National Assembly to support participants of the candlelit protests calling for President Yoon Suk Yeol's removal from office over his martial law declaration last week.

A post on the social media platform X detailed the donation on Tuesday. The author wrote, “A man in his 50s prepaid for about 1,200 cups of coffee worth 5 million won for candlelight protesters. The participating cafe is Paris Baguette near KBS Yeouido, and the code to claim the coffee is ‘Kim Min-joo.'”

The post said that anyone could receive a free drink by providing the name used for the payment at the cafe.

A receipt for a 5 million won prepayment for protesters' drinks at a Paris Baguette near the National Assembly / Captured from X

The cafe in question is located near the National Assembly Station on Seoul Metro Line 9, where protests frequently take place. This prepayment system, a show of solidarity with citizens braving the cold to attend demonstrations, has become a growing trend in the area.

Paris Baguette's Yeouido KBS branch confirmed that an individual called to arrange the prepayment and transferred 5 million won to the cafe's account.

A branch official said, “We are currently discussing when to start providing the prepaid beverages to citizens.”

While the donation amount was significant, the name used for the prepayment — Kim Min-joo — also sparked interest online. The name's Korean meaning, “democracy,” was seen as symbolic in light of the protests. Many speculated whether the name was real or chosen as a deliberate nod to the current political situation.

One netizen reflected on the name's significance, posting, “When I was a student in Jeolla Province, there were three students named ‘Min-joo' in my class. It feels like a generation that lived through the 1980 Gwangju Uprising wants to pass on the spirit of democracy to the next generation.”

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.