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| Supporters hold a candlelight rally for the beleaguered justice minister, Cho Kuk, in front of Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office in Seoul, Saturday. AP |
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| Protesters shout slogans as they wave national flags and signs during a rally denouncing Justice Minister Cho Kuk in Seoul, Saturday. The letters read 'Arrest Cho Kuk' and 'Moon Jae-in, resign.' AP |
Activists and citizens held a rally in southern Seoul on Saturday in support of Justice Minister Cho Kuk and his drive to reform the prosecution amid a probe into corruption allegations surrounding his family.
The candlelight vigil started at around 6 p.m. at an intersection near Seocho Station, where the prosecution's office is located, for the third such weekly rally.
Participants chanted slogans ― "Reform the Prosecution" and "Protect Cho Kuk" ― as they condemned the prosecution's widening probe into Cho's family as an attempt to deter the minister from reforming the elite investigation agency.
They also called for comprehensive reforms of the prosecution, including the establishment of an independent unit to probe corruption allegations by high-ranking public officials.
As part of the rally, participants waved cards with prints of South Korea's national flag, the Taegeukgi. They also passed along a gigantic flag measuring 20 meters in width and 10 meters in height. The flag had recently been used as a symbol for the conservative bloc.
Organizers claimed that around 3 million people took part in the rally.
The rally comes two days after supporters of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) and conservatives critical of liberal President Moon Jae-in took to the streets in downtown Seoul, calling for the minister's removal from office.
The ruling Democratic Party voiced support for the planned rally, calling it a voluntary move encapsulating citizens' aspirations for the revamp of the prosecution.
Despite the display of support, ruling party lawmakers appeared cautious about their participation in the vigil as it could give ammunition for the opposition bloc's political attacks and further escalate partisan confrontation.
The LKP upped its offensive, casting the vigil as a polarizing event that the ruling bloc influenced to effectively defend the embattled justice minister.
Hours before the vigil, the conservative Our Republican Party staged its own rally in southern Seoul to criticize the justice minister.
Around 300,000 people took part in the rally, the party claimed.
Police mobilized around 5,000 officers to prevent clashes between the liberal and conservative rallies. A police fence was also installed between the two sides.
Participants from both sides were seen involved in squabbles but no serious case was reported, according to the police.
The allegations centering on Cho include his wife's suspected forgery of a college presidential citation and his family's dubious investment in a private equity fund.
Cho, a former presidential secretary for civil affairs, was appointed as justice minister on Sept. 9 despite objections from the LKP and other critics.
The controversy surrounding Cho has deepened divisions in the country and emerged as a key political issue that may affect next year's general elections.
The ruling party and supporters of Cho view the prosecution's investigation as a politically charged one, while the LKP has called for his dismissal.
The number of participants in separate rallies has been the subject of political dispute.
An organizer of last weekend's rally claimed around 2 million people gathered in the capital city of 10 million people to voice the need for prosecution reform.
The LKP insisted 3 million people took part in Thursday's demonstration to demand Cho's ousting. (Yonhap)
