Dozens of protesters have gathered outside the American embassy in Seoul holding up placards with anti-war slogans ahead of a visit to the country by US president Donald Trump.
Trump, who is on an Asia tour, is scheduled to visit South Korea on Tuesday and meet President Moon Jae-in to discuss the North Korean crisis.
Security, too, was boosted in the country as multiple protests are planned for Tuesday.
On Monday, protesters had also gathered in support of Trump and against North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Some of them carried messages in support of Park Geun-hye, the conservative ex-president, who was impeached and is facing corruption charges, and opposed the withdrawal of US troops from the country.
The anti-Trump protesters, smaller in number and less vocal, gathered at a restricted space a few metres away.
The US president will also speak to the South Korean parliament on Wednesday.
A South Korean protester stands on a cartoon depiction of US President Donald J. Trump during a rally held to show opposition to his up coming visit. Source: AAP
Seoul to seek reassurance from Trump
Trump flies in from Japan after securing Tokyo's full support for Washington's stance that "all options are on the table" regarding North Korea, and declaring its nuclear ambitions "a threat to the civilised world and international peace and stability".
He enjoyed three days of near-bromance with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, calling him "wonderful" after a round of golf and describing US-Japan ties as "really extraordinary".
In Seoul, Trump's relationship with South Korean President Moon Jae-In is noticeably cooler, stoking concerns about the decades-old alliance and fears of being sidelined by the US in favour of Tokyo.
At the same time, Moon is mindful that much of his capital is within range of the North's artillery, and has demanded that no military action take place on the peninsula without the South's prior consent.
Trump has labelled Moon's pro-engagement approach to North Korea as "appeasement" on Twitter, a comment that did not go down well in Seoul's presidential Blue House.
South Korea will roll out the red carpet for Trump as it seeks messages of assurance about the alliance and US resolve.
Citizens views are mixed, with both "No Trump" and "Welcome President Trump" demonstrations taking place in downtown Seoul since the weekend, sometimes only a few blocks apart.
Ant-war protesters hold up their cards during a rally demanding peace of the Korean peninsula near U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, Nov 5, 2017. U.S. Source: AAP
In South Korea, Trump's first stop will be Camp Humphreys, where US forces stationed in the country have moved their headquarters from downtown Seoul.
Later he will have a summit with Moon at the Blue House, followed by a lavish dinner with live concerts by both Korean traditional musicians and K-pop artists.
On Wednesday, Trump will speak to South Korean MPs but his visit will not include a trip to the Demilitarized Zone dividing the Korean peninsula, with the administration downplaying the destination as "a little bit of a cliche".
Some observers have fretted that a gaffe by a president given to off-the-cuff remarks could send tensions rising on the peninsula.
"If Trump says anything that can provoke North Korea, it could send military tensions soaring again," said professor Koo Kab-Woo from the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul.
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