Public anger against confidant scandal grows

Posters put up by students at Wonkwang High School in Iksan, North Jeolla Province, read that President Park Geun-hye should take responsibility for the influence-peddling scandal involving her confidant, Choi Soon-sil, Tuesday. / Yonhap

By Lee Kyung-min

Local high school students and overseas Korean students have joined the civic movement calling for President Park Geun-hye to take responsibility for the ongoing influence-peddling scandal surrounding her confidant Choi Soon-sil.

Students of Wonkwang High School in Iksan, North Jeolla Province, put up posters inside their school, Tuesday, demanding that he President take responsibility.

"If you are the President representing the people, not the puppet of Choi, do not hide behind Choi and come forward to acknowledge your fault and face punishment," the statement read.

The poster was titled "First clause of the current law: Korea is governed by the President and all power comes from Choi Soon-sil," a sarcastic twist of clauses 1 and 2 of Article 1 of the Constitution which states, "Korea is governed by the people and all power comes from the people."

The students said, "Korea is a country where not only does a cultish figure have a major sway in state affairs but also hardworking, diligent students' hopes and dreams are shattered and trampled upon by a handful of people born with a silver spoon in their mouths."

The students, who face tough college entrance exams, also ridiculed Choi's daughter Chung Yoo-ra, a dressage competitor who allegedly received favors in admission and grading at Ewha Womans University. Chung once said on social media, "If you are not rich, blame your parents. Money is competency."

The students said, "Yoo-ra, congratulations for entering Ewha. We are ‘incompetent and our parents are commoners who can't afford an expensive horse."

Earlier, students at Joongdong High School in Seoul also put up similar posters in which they said, "President Park refused to be the head of the country which has a long history of fighting for democracy. She doesn't deserve to be called President."

Meanwhile, about 30 overseas Korean students at UC Berkeley in California issued a statement denouncing Park, Tuesday, the first such move by Korean students overseas.

"We were unable to answer questions from American friends who asked ‘How could a citizen, instead of the President, be involved that deeply in state affairs?'" the group said during a press conference in front of Sproul Hall on the school campus.

"The key suspect in this scandal is the President herself. We demand stern punishment of all figures involved."

Similarly, about 15 Korean students studying at four universities in Australia held a similar press conference in front of the Korean consulate general in Sydney.

Besides students, professors, religious groups, civic groups and labor union members are also raising their voices against the President.

Nearly 2,000 members of three faculty groups called for Park's resignation, urging the ruling Saenuri Party and law enforcement authorities not to disturb fact-finding investigations. Dozens of press conferences have been held at major places around central Seoul, including Gwanghwamun Square, Cheonggye Plaza and near Cheong Wa Dae, by concerned civic groups.

A coalition of civic groups held a candlelit vigil at Cheonggye Plaza, saying it would continue the vigil every night until Nov. 12 when a massive anti-government rally is scheduled.

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