'Save Korea' Reports 10,000-Strong Anti-Impeachment Rally
Gwangju Mayor: "No Space for the Far-Right"
Civic Groups Also Protest: "Do Not Tarnish Gwangju"
On the afternoon of the 8th, the Protestant organization Save Korea held a national emergency prayer meeting at Dongdaegu Station Plaza, urging opposition to the impeachment of President Yoon Seok-yeol and calling for his release. Yonhap News
This weekend, large-scale rallies both supporting and opposing the impeachment of Yoon Seok-yeol are scheduled to take place around the 5·18 Democracy Square and Geumnam-ro area in Dong-gu, Gwangju, raising concerns about potential clashes. The police announced that they will deploy personnel to prevent conflicts between rally participants and partially restrict traffic in the area.
According to the Gwangju Dongbu Police Station on the 12th, the conservative Christian group Save Korea will hold a national emergency prayer meeting for Gwangju, Jeonnam, and North Jeolla in the Geumnam-ro area of Dong-gu, Gwangju, on the 15th. News that Jeon Han-gil, a Korean history instructor who has been making pro-President Yoon remarks, will attend has led to expectations that more than 10,000 people will gather from not only Gwangju and Jeonnam but also from across the country.
On the same day that the conservative group has announced a large-scale rally, the Gwangju Civic Action, a Gwangju civic group, will also hold a rally. In a press conference, Gwangju Civic Action declared, "There is a political calculation to attack Gwangju, the birthplace of democratic spirit, to nullify Yoon Seok-yeol's impeachment and dismissal and to use it as a foundation to unite the forces of rebellion." They added, "The political intentions of the far-right rebel forces will never succeed," emphasizing, "Because the citizens of Gwangju will not allow the 5·18 Democracy Square and Geumnam-ro, the heart of democracy, to be politically defiled."
Gwangju Civic Action appealed, "We hope people will gather at Democracy Square and Geumnam-ro on the 15th to overwhelmingly unite, protect democracy in crisis, and establish a bridgehead toward a new Republic of Korea." Holding an anti-impeachment rally in the space where citizens stood against martial law troops to protect democracy during the May 18 Democratic Movement has sparked off-site debates, with some arguing it tarnishes the spirit of May.
On the afternoon of the 8th, the Protestant organization Save Korea held a national emergency prayer meeting at Dongdaegu Station Plaza, urging opposition to the impeachment of President Yoon Seok-yeol and calling for his release. Yonhap News
Earlier, on the 6th, Gwangju Mayor Kang Gi-jung stated on his Facebook that far-right YouTuber Ahn Jeong-kwon’s inquiry about using the 5·18 Democracy Square for a rally would be denied, saying, "There is no space for the far-right in Democracy Square," and "We will not permit the use of the square." The Democracy Square, where Gwangju citizens held rallies to strengthen their resistance during the May 18 Democratic Movement, and the Geumnam-ro area, where citizens were sacrificed by martial law troops’ bullets, are representative May 18 historical sites symbolizing democracy.
With both sides announcing large-scale rallies, concerns about sudden actions or clashes have emerged. The rally times overlap, and the conservative group’s rally site is less than 100 meters from the 5·18 Democracy Square, making physical confrontations possible. The police plan to deploy personnel to prevent conflicts between participants of the pro- and anti-impeachment rallies and partially restrict traffic in the Geumnam-ro area for safety. A police official stated, "We will do our utmost to prevent any accidents between participants during the rallies."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
