Park's supporters fight back with counter-protest
Members of pro-Park groups, collectively called "Park Sa Mo" ― which literally means people who love Park Geun-hye ― staged the first rally demanding Park’s stay in office at Seoul Station Square, Saturday. / Yonhap
By Choi Ha-young
Park Geun-hye’s supporters broke their silence on Saturday, staging a protest in support of the scandal-ridden head of state and denouncing Park’s political foes who are demanding her resignation.
About 10,000 members of conservative pro-Park groups, collectively called “Park Sa Mo” ― which literally means people who love Park Geun-hye ― staged the first rally in support of Park at Seoul Station Square since the flare-up of the Choi Soon-sil scandal last month.
The pro-Park rally began at 2 p.m., four hours before the fourth mass rally against the President in Gwanghwamun square in downtown Seoul, which drew nearly 500,000 angry citizens.
The two rallies highlighted a lingering ideological conflict between the conservative old and the reform-minded young that has become more visible in recent weeks with Park’s rapid collapse.
The first pro-Park rally gathered 67,000 people, according to organizers, but police estimated a much smaller number: 11,000.
Carrying individual national flags of South Korea, bundled up winter jackets and sunglasses, the pro-Park activists chanted slogans such as: “Protect the Constitutional order” and “Root out communists.”
The protesters, mostly white-haired senior citizens in their 60s through their 80s, strongly criticized opposition politicians for what they claimed was an “irresponsible” political attack on the President. Some called opposition politicians “spies from North Korea” and “communists.”
Members of pro-Park groups, collectively called "Park Sa Mo" ― which literally means people who love Park Geun-hye ― staged the first rally demanding Park’s stay in office at Seoul Station Square, Saturday. / Yonhap
“If Park resigns, Kim Jong-un (North Korean leader) will attack Seoul,” said Hwang Hye-jeong, 54, who travelled to Seoul from Busan to join the rally, distributing fliers promoting Park’s achievements in office. “Even though the United States has helped us, we can’t trust Donald Trump.”
Many in the rally supported Park because of her father’s legacy. Park’s father, Park Chung-hee who took power in a 1961 military coup, is credited with the country’s rapid economic rise in the 1960s-70s.
“Park Chung-hee founded Korea. We overcame hunger thanks to him, but young people, who have never starved, are being selfish,” Hwang said.
Many senior citizens expressed deep-seated animosity toward the opposition.
“It’s distorted,” Park Sook-ja, 72, said, referring to reports about Park’s all-time low approval ratings.
“Leftists are rich,” another participant Im Young-sin, 49, said. “They dominate the court, the prosecution and education. Teachers brainwash their students. I only believe the website ‘Ilbe’ because other media does not deliver the facts.” Ilbe is an ultra-rightwing online community infamous for posting articles and other content explicitly ridiculing female and social minorities.
Some of them admitted that the President was wrong. But they pointed out that Choi Soon-sil is the main culprit and Park can only be blamed for “believing her too much.”
After the rally at Seoul Station, the Park supporters took to the streets to march toward Sungnyemun Gate, but police blocked their advance to the venue reserved for part of the anti-president protest.
During the march, they chanted “Park Geun-hye” holding banners that read “We love you, President. Cheer up.”
(Editing by Park Si-soo; Copyediting by Lyman McLallen)