Spirit of candlelight rallies upheld

Participants chant slogans at an event held to commemorate the anniversary of the candlelit rallies in Gwanghwamun Square, central Seoul, Saturday. Many hold candles in one hand, and a poster in the other stating, “Candlelight will continue.” / Yonhap

By You Soo-sun

Tens of thousands of citizens gathered in various parts of Seoul to commemorate the anniversary of the start of the candlelit rallies that helped oust former President Park Geun-hye, Saturday.

Two big events took place ― in Gwanghwamun and on Yeouido ― a divide caused by differences in the way people interpreted the meaning of the rallies; but both professed the primary goal of rooting out the many evils in society.

In Gwanghwamun, where the months-long demonstrations took place last year, around 60,000 citizens participated and once again lit candles and held them high, urging for more change.

“Candles will continue,” they shouted. “All deep-rooted evils must end; we must make fundamental societal reform.”

Many public figures including Reps. Choo Mi-ae and Woo Won-sik of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, Seoul and Seongnam Mayors Park Won-soon and Lee Jae-myung, and Rep. Lee Jung-mi of the minor liberal Justice Party participated in the event.

Families of the victims of the Sewol tragedy as well as various civic organization members came to the event, making specific demands such as arresting former President Lee Myung-bak for corruption, abolishing non-regular jobs, and establishing an investigative body to crack down on crimes committed by high-ranking public officials.

President Moon Jae-in also reveled at the events on social media: “The candlelight was powerful. It led to the realization of democracy and values of the Constitution; it was a political revolution led by citizens.”

“The candlelight is our future, one which has yet to see its ending. It is a future we can achieve only by walking together as citizens; and we must do so with persistence.”

On Yeouido, 10,000 people gathered for the event. One citizen jokingly proposed it, criticizing the Gwanghwamun event for its plan to march up to Cheong Wa Dae. She argued the candle ― a symbol of resistance ― should instead target the National Assembly, where societal evils now reside.

What began as a joke became a serious deal as members of the public, mostly fervent advocates of President Moon, promoted the event online.

This one took on more of a festive mood. Many came in masks and costumes to jointly celebrate Halloween, just a few days away.

And while the march from Gwanghwamun to Cheong Wa Dae was canceled in response to such criticism, participants of the Yeouido event marched up to the Liberty Korea Party headquarters, chanting the “Liberty Korea Party must be disbanded.”

Instead of candles, many held posters with various statements including, “Arrest Lee Myung-bak,” “Against America,” “We support President Moon Jae-in,” and “We are against the march up to Cheong Wa Dae.”

The woman who initially made the proposal was also there. “We went to Gwanghwamun in the past because the figures responsible for the influence-peddling scandal were in Cheong Wa Dae; this year, we must take down the opposition party,” she said.

“The message I want to convey is this: The organized power of conscious citizens. Through the candlelit rallies, a new paradigm of participatory democracy has been established. Now, we need to make this stronger.”