Dozens of protesters detained, injured in largest anti-president rally
Protesters confront armed riot police on a road nearly 800 meters from the presidential office early Sunday. / Joint Press Corps.
By Park Si-soo
The largest rally in Seoul against scandal-plagued President Park Geun-hye that started Saturday evening with nearly one million protesters ended early Sunday after fierce clashes with police.
More than 23 protesters were taken into custody and dozens of other protesters and riot police officers were injured. None of the injured is in a life-threatening condition, according to police.
The demonstration, the largest in three decades, started on Saturday at 4 p.m. as a candlelit vigil and continued throughout the night. Under a court ruling that allowed protesters to reach about one kilometer from the presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae, an estimated 8,000 protesters marched along a narrow road leading to the presidential office chanting “Park Geyn-hye resign.”
Heavily armed riot police erected a high barricade at the limit line to prevent any further advance. Some protesters tried to climb the barricade.
The mass protest was the closest to the presidential office in South Korea’s modern history.
The confrontation, which often turned violent, continued until 2:30 a.m. About 1,000 protesters staged a sit-in on the road until 4 a.m. and police forcefully dispersed them at 4:15 a.m.
Rally organizers said another massive anti-presidential protest would be staged in downtown Seoul next Saturday.