Candlelight revolution brings regime change
Protesters in front of the National Assembly, Seoul, welcome the passage of the motion to impeach President Park Geun-hye, Friday. Thousands of citizens gathered at the Assembly to pressure lawmakers to vote for the motion. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
By Choi Ha-young
People finally forced President Park Geun-hye from her post in what is being called a historic “candlelight revolution.”
Thousands of protesters who were holding a protest rally at the National Assembly on Yeouido, Friday, welcomed the passage of an impeachment motion against President Park. Some were filled with tears, while others shared high fives and took selfies.
From early morning, about 10,000 people gathered in front of the Assembly, braving the cold weather. They urged the legislative body to put an end to Park, who has been on the verge of resignation over the influence-peddling scandal involving her longtime friend Choi Soon-sil.
Some stayed there all night from Thursday, making funeral streamers to symbolize the end of Park’s life as a politician.
Kim Hye-young, 57, a lecturer, took leave to see the historic moment. “We will hold a family party tonight,” she said. “We are very happy but we just finished a midterm. Now we have to prepare for the finals,” said Kim, who participated in all of the rallies at Gwanghwamun Square on the previous six Saturdays.
“I was so tired because of the continuous candlelit rallies, but all of my fatigue has been cleared by this news,” said Kim Jeong-im, 52, who came with friends.
People said they will go to the Gwanghwamun candlelit rally this Saturday as well, and gather in front of the Constitutional Court, which will make a final ruling on the impeachment.
“From now on, citizens will not keep silent about corruption and injustice. All of the accomplices must be punished,” Kim said.
Protesters specified their next goals _ pressuring the special investigation team to thoroughly investigate the scandal and hold Park accountable for her wrongdoings.
“The next step is to imprison Park,” said Kim Jeong-seon, 49, from Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province. “In the end, we should remove previous wrongdoers, including prosecutors, those in the media and chaebol, and pro-Park politicians. If it doesn’t go well, I am always prepared to take to the streets with a candle.”
Another start
“The candlelit rallies won,” said Oh Deul-yi, 47, a housewife from Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. “The lawmakers did their best, considering all of their different political interests. Now, this is another start,” she said.
Oh, who also went to the six rallies in Gwanghwamun Square, said she will continue to protest, but now in front of the Constitutional Court. “It’s very cold, but this is nothing compared to the pain of the victims of the Sewol ferry disaster.”
Kim Mi-seon, 45, came here with her six-year-old son. “Politicians will never be able to ignore the people again,” she said, playing a vuvuzela with her child. “This is a good precedent that government officials lacking responsibility should be punished.”
Despite the impeachment motion passage, many people still claim Park should step down immediately. “Park is hiding behind the law, which is very cowardly,” said Lee Hye-ryeon, 26, a jobseeker. “The law exists to improve people’s lives, not to protect criminals.”
Meanwhile, police blocked rally organizers from installing stages, and didn’t allow protesting farmers to drive their tractors to the Assembly, which led to three people being injured.