Progressive Groups Hold Large Candlelight Rally at Sungnyemun... Demand "Yoon Seok-yeol Resignation"

Dispersal After March to the Presidential Office

On the afternoon of the 19th, a candlelight rally demanding the resignation of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration was held near Sungnyemun in Jung-gu, Seoul, hosted by the Candlelight Transition Action. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The progressive group 'Candlelight Victory Transition Action' held the 15th candlelight march rally on the 19th from 4 p.m. around the Sungnyemun Five-way Intersection in Jung-gu, Seoul, demanding the resignation of President Yoon Seok-yeol and a special investigation into First Lady Kim Geon-hee. The number of participants was estimated at 250,000 by the organizers and 25,000 by the police. They held placards reading "People are dying, is this a country?", "Yoon Seok-yeol is responsible for the Itaewon disaster," and "Resign Yoon Seok-yeol, special investigation for Kim Geon-hee," shouting slogans condemning the government.

Six members of the Democratic Party of Korea, including Ahn Min-seok, Kang Min-jung, Kim Yong-min, Yoo Jeong-ju, Yang Yi-won-young, and Hwang Un-ha, as well as independent lawmaker Min Hyung-bae, also participated in the rally. This was the first time that a large number of Democratic Party lawmakers took the stage at a candlelight march rally. In his speech, Representative Yoo Jeong-ju mentioned the all-out prosecution investigations against opposition figures, shouting, "The Yoon Seok-yeol government must stop the 'human hunt.' If you will neither stop nor reflect, step down from your position. Resign." Representative Ahn Min-seok pointed out the government's responsibility for the Itaewon disaster, demanding, "President Yoon Seok-yeol must publicly apologize to the people and immediately dismiss Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min."

After the participants finished their free speeches, they marched from around 7 p.m. using three lanes toward Samgakji Station on Subway Line 6, near the presidential office. At Samgakji Station, they encountered members of the conservative group New Freedom Solidarity who were holding a rally, leading to some verbal exchanges between the two sides, but no physical clashes occurred. Itaewon-ro, right in front of the presidential office, was completely closed to vehicle traffic. Police riot squads were deployed in various locations, and security was tightened. The candlelight rally participants split at Samgakji Station, marching toward Noksapyeong Station and Sinyongsan Station, encircling the presidential office. Most participants finished the march and dispersed around 8:30 p.m.

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