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Hundreds of thousands of protestors pack the 16-lane Sejong street in downtown Seoul, Tuesday night. Commemorating the anniversary of 1987's pro-democracy movement, it was the largest public demonstration since last month when students began to hold candlelit rallies to protest U.S. beef imports. / Korea Times photo by Kim Joo-sung |
By Kim Rahn, Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporters
Hundreds of thousands of citizens took to the streets nationwide Tuesday, on the 21st anniversary of a historic pro-democracy movement, to protest the resumption of American beef imports.
The culmination of a month of protests drew the largest number of protesters ever, coinciding with the June 10 ``People Power'' struggle in 1987, which forced the military dictatorship to adopt a direct presidential election system. It was the first time in more than two decades that such a large number of people gathered in Seoul and other major cities.
People from all walks of life ― from students and workers to former activists who fought for democracy 21 years ago ― joined the rallies, demanding the government renegotiate the beef deal with the United States.
The coalition of civic groups claimed 1 million citizens participated nationwide, including 500,000 in Seoul alone, while police estimated the total number at around 200,000. Tens of thousands of citizens also held separate gatherings in Busan, Gwangju and dozens of other cities around the country.
``As an witness to all major historic events in the past, I took part in this candlelit vigil to join the call for the renegotiation of the beef agreement,'' said Yoo Chung-sik, 69, who accompanied his 63-year-old wife. ``I wanted to share this spirit of freedom though I'm old.''
Hundreds of students marched from Yonsei University to Seoul Plaza, many with the portrait of the late Lee Han-yeol, a former Yonsei student who died after being injured during the 1987 protest. Activists from that time accompanied them.
``I have a lot of worries because of difficulty getting a job. I came here on foot from my school, even though it's an exam period. It reflects the severity of the beef issue,'' said Kim Tom, 23, a student from Yonsei. ``I thought I should come here instead of going to the library.''
Police closed three main roads leading to Cheong Wa Dae by building a two-story barricade of shipping containers. They welded the containers together, filled them with sand and coated their surfaces with grease to prevent demonstrators marching to the presidential office.
Some 40,000 riot police officers were mobilized at major rally sites.
Conservative groups opposing the protests against American beef imports held sporadic rallies in several places in Seoul, urging citizens to abide by the law, and the National Assembly to ratify the free trade agreement with the United States. Minor clashes occurred between the anti-American beef ralliers and the conservative groups.
rahnita@koreatimes.co.kr
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한국과 일본 국가부도위험 비슷해졌다
