"Democracy for Myanmar"... Myanmar Moved by Korean Monks' 'Ochetuji'

Demanding democracy in Myanmar, monks, Myanmar students, and activists marched about 6 km in Seoul city center by performing the full-body prostration (Ochetuji), which caused a great response when it was reported in Myanmar. The photo is a capture of comments on the live broadcast of the full-body prostration. [Provided by We Noe Hnin So (Korean name Kang Seon-woo), leader of the Myanmar Youth Solidarity in Korea / Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Eun-young] The march of monks, Myanmar students, and activists performing prostrations through downtown Seoul to demand democracy in Myanmar has become a major topic of interest in Myanmar.

On the 13th, videos capturing the prostration march rapidly spread on social media platforms.

The footage shows four monks from the Jogye Order’s Social Labor Committee, along with Myanmar international students and activists, repeatedly bowing deeply every few steps as they prostrated along the streets.

On the afternoon of the 12th, they marched about 6 km from the Myanmar Embassy in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, to the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Office (OHCHR) in Seorin-dong, Jongno-gu, informing passersby about the illegitimacy of the military coup, the military and police’s violent suppression, and illegal arrests.

The prostration march, which began just after noon, lasted about five hours. After delivering a statement condemning the Myanmar military’s violence and killings and urging the UN to take effective measures, the event concluded.

The entire process was broadcast live through the social media account of Wae Noe Hnin So (Korean name Kang Sun-woo), leader of the Myanmar Youth Solidarity in Korea, who participated throughout the march.

On the afternoon of the 12th, in front of the Myanmar Embassy in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Myanmar residents in Korea and monks belonging to the Jogye Order's Social Labor Committee are performing a full-body prostration march to the UN Human Rights Office, praying for the democratization of Myanmar. / Photo by Yonhap News

Myanmar people who saw the video locally responded with gratitude, saying, "Thank you for caring about the situation in Myanmar and acting together."

Meanwhile, in Myanmar, the military continues its violent crackdown on citizens opposing the coup. According to local media, at least 70 citizens have been killed and over 2,000 illegally detained since the coup.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.