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KCNA Pyongyang Times

Candlelit rally calls for earlier approval of impeachment

Date: 17/02/2017 | Source: Pyongyang Times | Read original version at source

West Coast Exchange, North Korea Watcher Conference, Sept. 2026

[2017-02-20]









The 16th round of anti-government candlelit rally took place across south Korea on February 18 amid the continued action demanding the ouster of Park Geun Hye, according to local media.
A total of 844 000 people from all walks of life including local autonomous community chiefs, opposition lawmakers and schoolchildren held up candles in a massive protest action spearheaded by the “emergency people’s action for the ouster of the Park Geun Hye regime”.
Seoul citizens took to streets to protest against the attempt to put impeachment on hold, and they also called for immediate resignation of Park Geun Hye and Hwang Kyo An, extension of the period of the special investigation and detainment of the accomplices.
Prior to the rally, thousands of people held a symposium for adopting the “declaration of candle rights”.
Speakers were critical of the political establishment that is concerned only about the presidential election as candle-holding protesters are calling not only for impeachment of Park Geun Hye but for a sweeping social reform. They said the symposium should adopt the declaration of candle rights in order to build a new society in which abuse of power cannot take root.
The event highlighted plutocracy, north-south relations, diplomatic and security policy, education, security system, electoral and political system, and elementary rights.
Tens of thousands of citizens gathered at the Kwanghwamun plaza for the candlelit rally.
Protestors said the arrest of Ri Jae Yong, vice-president of Samsung Electronics, reveals Park Geun Hye is at the centre of the bribery scandal and there are still those who defend the unprecedented abuses of power, adding that the judgment of impeachment should not be delayed any longer.
A resolution released by the rally called for having similar get-togethers on February 25 and March 1 at the same place to see Park Geun Hye quit.
Then demonstrators began to march towards the Blue House, the constitutional court and buildings of big businesses, confronting 15 200 police in riot gear.
The turnout once swelled to 800 000 as more and more citizens joined the march.
Some of the crowds rallied in front of the constitutional court, pressing for an earlier approval of the impeachment.
Similar actions occurred in over 100 places, namely Pusan, Taejon and Ulsan.

KCNA

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