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| / Korea Times photos by Shim Hyun-chul |
Park supporters, opponents divided over impeachment
By Lee Kyung-min
Both supporters and opponents of President Park Geun-hye staged rallies in downtown Seoul, Wednesday, on the occasion of the nation's Independence Movement Day, to press their demands for upholding or rejecting her impeachment.
The massive rallies followed Tuesday's conclusion of the independent counsel team's investigation into the corruption scandal involving Park and her friend Choi Soon-sil, and the Constitutional Court's final hearing, Monday.
No major clashes occurred between the rival groups, as their marching routes did not overlap.
More than 16,000 police officers were mobilized with 202 buses being used as a shield surrounding Gwanghwamun Square to prevent the rival protesters from deviating from their initial rally sites, which were only 500 meters away from each other.
Tens of thousands of Park supporters began to gather at 11 a.m. near the square, and marched to five different locations including Dongdaemun, Seoul Station and the Constitutional Court.
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| Supporters of President Park Geun-hye wave the national flag during a rally at Gwanghwamun Square, downtown Seoul, Wednesday. They called on the Constitutional Court to reject the impeachment motion against Park. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul |
They also marched toward Cheong Wa Dae, the first such move by the group, and to the prime minister's official residence in Samcheong-dong.
The group called for additional Constitutional Court hearings, citing what it called a "heavily biased bench."
"The Constitutional Court dismissed the President's defense attorney's requests to call more witnesses and for more written materials to be entered into evidence," one of the group members said.
"The court abruptly concluded the proceedings when it was on the verge of uncovering the truth of what the leftists have called the influence-peddling scandal by Park's confidant Choi Soon-sil," he added.
Meanwhile, more than 1 million protestors demanding Park's impeachment held their rally at the square at 5 p.m.
The anti-Park group held performances based on the March 1 Independence Movement Day, a historic day in 1919 when Korea was under colonial rule by Japan. A chant at the time was, "Free Korea from the colonial rule of Japan."
The group chanted similar slogans en masse namely, "Put Park Geun-hye behind bars" and "Constitutional Court, uphold Park's impeachment."
They decided to carry the national flag, as they deemed it was warranted by the historical significance of patriotism associated with the March 1 Independence Movement Day, but decided to wear yellow ribbons to differentiate themselves from Park's supporters.
The impeached President's supporters also used the national flag to identify themselves.
At 7 p.m., the ant-Park group marched toward a 100-meter point from the perimeter of Cheong Wa Dae, after an administrative court allowed access to the group.
The group said they would hold a candlelit vigil to rekindle the spirit that united the country against the unconscionable political corruption involving Park Geun-hye's inner most circle.
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| Anti-Park activists stage a candlelit rally in central Seoul, Wednesday, calling on the Constitutional Court to uphold Park's impeachment. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul |
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| Supporters of President Park Geun-hye march through the street near City Hall in central Seoul, Wednesday, to demand the Constitutional Court reject the impeachment motion against Park. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul |
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| / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul |
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| / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul |
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| / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul |
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| / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul |
