Article from Yonhap News:
Huge Anti-Park Administration Rally, Gives Appearance of a Second Democratization Movement.
Once more, thousands of flyers criticizing the president are scattered around. Conservative groups stage counter-rallies.
On the afternoon of the 28th, central Seoul marking President Park’s third anniversary in office, a large rally was held to criticize key issues of the Park government.
Progressive groups such as Power of the People and Citizens for Action gathered at Seoul Station Plaza at 2 p.m. to start a rally called the “Nationwide Rally to Denounce Park’s Administration: Failure to the People, Failure of Democracy, Puts Peace at Risk.”
5,000 people participated in the event. (Police had predicted only 3,000.) Among the protesters were people against the Korea-China FTA, those against the United Progressive Party’s disbandment, tax-increase opponents, people who brought up the Sewol, THAAD agreement opponents, and temporary employment opponents.
Some signs at the rally read, “Park Government, Get Out” and, “Park Geun-hye’s 2 year anniversary gift = worker dissatisfaction and cuts to wages, benefits.”
Ham Se-woong took the mic, “Today, Korea’s poverty rate, number of labor union organizations, non-regular work rate, youth employment rate, birth rate, and suicide rates are the worst in the OECD. The problem lies not in democratization of the economy nor in welfare laws, but the problem is one of ethics; It is of building a life [for citizens] that is fit for human beings.”
Protesters expressed their opinions in posters. The most common statements were, “The Park Government has not only steadily ignored and turned its back on citizens, but it has been improperly run and is incompetent. The government has failed the people, destroyed democracy, and threatened peace. If the current conditions persist or are made worse, religious leaders, workers, farmers, and youth will gather again for another Democratization Movement!”
Starting at 3:30, protesters took up three lanes of traffic, marching through the Bank of Korea rotary, onward to Euljiro-ipgu.
Near the Bank of Korea, a thousand or so flyers criticizing the Park government were scattered from a building rooftop. The flyers read, “Treating the citizens like idiots, NIS interferes in elections- a breech of public election law! And what about President Park Geun-hye?”, “Yeah, let’s not do this anymore.”
At 6 p.m., 1,000 members of Seoul Progressives United began marching in the streets from Gangnam’s Sinsa Station to Hakdong Station. They held banners saying “Wanted: Election Fraud Suspect”, and held thousands of signs bearing the face of former president Lee Myung-bak. They stopped near the private residence of the former president in Nonhyun-dong, and began chanting, demanding he take responsibility for the NIS comment scandal [during the last elections.]
Another demonstration was held at 6 p.m. in Gwanghwamun square. 200 people gathered for a candlelight vigil for a Sewol law.
Meanwhile, conservative groups held a rally to “eradicate North Korea sympathizers” These rallies were held at different times and locations, and there were no clashes with opposition groups.
The Retired Police Association, with 1,300 members in attendance, met in Seoul Yongsan-gu Dongja-dong at 1:30 p.m. “Citizens Alliance Against Anti-Korean and Pro-North Korea Groups”, along with a veterans group of more or less 200 people who gathered for an “Eradicate North Korea Sympathizers” rally in front of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea in Jung-gu Seoul.
Comments from Naver:
tjgu****:
Against the Unified Progressive Party’s dissolution and the THAAD’s deployment? As I keep saying, if you like Kim Jong-un that much, do not just protest here. Go to the North. Do you want to eat rats in a concentration camp surrounded by electric fences?
oldb****:
Before anything else, why are they against the THAAD’s deployment? Are they proving they are commies themselves?
adqw****:
“Against the Unified Progressive Party’s dissolution and the THAAD’s deployment.” That’s it. These bastards are commies. Second democratization movement? What bullshit is that? Are they going on about how we are under dictatorship now again? Then I won’t be quiet. I will go on about jongbuk [pro North Korean sympathizers].
pilo****:
The true progressives are supposed to make balanced criticisms. If the Park government is problematic, Kim Jong-un is a bigger problem. North Korea doesn’t even follow socialism. They practice hereditary dictatorship for three generations. Show me if you have ever made any critical remarks about North Korean leaders.
lion****:
Those guys are jongbuk. They defend the UPP. Shit.
lust****:
Those who protest for their own political gain, do not taint the meaning of the democratization movement.
mont****:
Because the fingerprinting of foreigners was abolished, there are many foreign workers who can pose a threat, too. On weekends, they do some kind of play chanting “I”, “R” and “O” repeatedly. In a free democratic country, why would a foreigner need militant mental tenacity? Domestic wage reduction has much to do with the abolition of fingerprinting of foreigners and opening door for them under the Roh Mu-hyun administration…
ssla****:
Jeolladoans call for a democratization movement if they don’t like something. When Roh Mu-hyun’s approval rating went below 5% and life for regular people was devastated, why did they remain silent?
stt2****:
There are more than enough people who enjoy a good life. Those “yellowish” people [supporters of Roh Mu-hyun] can’t still forget the good sir [Roh Mu-hyun] who ended his own life when he was cornered due to his bribery scandal. “That was a kind of riot using firearms..” [Chun Doo-hwan’s comment about the Gwangju Uprising.]
june****:
I am also a progressive but it seems real jongbuk people always infiltrate into progressive groups. I don’t really understand why they are against the Unified Progressive Party’s dissolution and the THAAD’s deployment…
anwj****:
Second democratization movement, keke. I guess democratization is their pet dog’s name, kekekeke. Then I hope second martial law army is formed, too.
pilo****:
Let me advise you as someone who also hates Park Geun-hye. If you also chant slogans like “Hereditary dictator Kim Jong-un, step down!”, you can avoid giving an excuse for counter protests from conservative groups such as the Korea Federation Against North Korea Sympathizers. There have been many chances when you could criticize North Korea’s nuclear problem and hereditary dictatorship. But you didn’t, so they think you are jongbuk. If you still act the same way even after reading this, you are really jongbuk groups who are disguised. Keep that in mind.
im4u****:
Second democratization movement? Are they at it again? Should the Republic of Korea just let them be? Oh well, I don’t think they support the ROK in their heart~!
pkjj****:
Since the weather got warmer, they started crawling out of the woodwork…
Comments from Daum:
스티글리츠님:
When Park Geun-hye was the representative of the Hannara Party, there was a brilliant time when she happily jumped on the bandwagon to curse President Roh Mu-hyun. I hope she isn’t too upset now.
민주주의님:
Her role model is Park Chung-hee who seized power with tanks. Chicken’s true nature never changes.
CLOCK07님:
She doesn’t listen or she can’t listen…
바늘님:
Fake president through a fraud election, Park Geun-hye, step down!!!
할수있다 반드시님:
When spring comes, it will spread like wildfire!!!! 2 years of Park Geun-hye administration!! This is the consequence of ignoring the people’s will!!!!!
MonoDrama님:
Conservative groups want to eradicate jongbuk?? They always blame jongbuk for everything!! This seems like the worst administration ever… Her daddy’s is the second worst…
줄리아나님:
Facking A, is there nothing else than jongbuk to babble about?
cop vasfhqft님:
Reflect on yourselves, chickensㅡㅡ Are we living under the Yushin regime now? ㅡㅡFrustrating ㅡㅡ
블루 문 12님:
Bitch…
mrpark님:
Good~
클럽듀스님:
The only scapegoat for conservative idiots is jongbuk, keke.
Risktaker님:
Ke~ What conservatives… Is there really no other excuse than “jongbuk”? I can only laugh, hahaha~~
