100,000s stage largest-ever protest in Seoul to demand president resign

Hundreds of thousands are walking the streets of Seoul in the latest protest against South Korean President Park Geun-hye, who has come under fire for allowing her close confidante to have too much influence over her government policies.


According to organizers, 850,000 people joined the candlelight rally at Gwanghwamun and a public square near Seoul City Hall, with the number expected to reach up to one million.

Police said they counted 220,000 people, surpassing the figure they expected by at least 50,000. About 25,000 officers were deployed to maintain order during the rally.

The event sets a new turnout record for a protest in Seoul, according to Yonhap news agency. The previous was set in June 2008, when an estimated 80,000 people were reported by the police to have attended a demonstration against the government’s decision to resume beef import from the US. At the time, organizers put the number at 700,000.

Later in the day, the protesters are planning to march to within a few blocks of the presidential Blue House compound. The move was previously banned for security reasons, but a local court gave the organizers the green light earlier on Saturday.
 rt.com
12/11/16
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