Citizens restore national dignity through peaceful assembly

The total number of participants in weekend candlelight vigils, which have continued for a month after starting on Oct. 29, increased to 1.9 million (estimate by the organizer) nationwide on Saturday. The assembly was the largest ever in scale, but not a single person was arrested by police, as demonstrators maintained peaceful rallies. Praising on the peaceful rallies, foreign media has reported that the Korean people are helping restore national dignity that was damaged by the Park Geun-hye administration.

About 1.5 million citizens (police estimate: 270,000) participated in the fifth candlelight vigils at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on Saturday, and called on President Park Geun-hye to resign. Even bad weather of this winter’s first snow and rain did not stop determined citizens from participating in the rally. A combined total of 400,000 (police estimate: 60,000) also took part in candlelight vigils at squares in provincial regions including Busan and Gwangju. This came as President Park has flatly denied suspicions against her and boycotted prosecutorial probe, fueling public anger to escalate further. Clad in raincoat or holding umbrellas, participants chanted “Investigate the president by force,” and “Arrest the president,” while some participants continued rallies overnight through early Sunday morning.

The candlelight vigils were the largest ever in scale, but no act of violence occurred. There were moments of tension, but participants staged peaceful rallies, chanting “maintain order, maintain order.” After the event they voluntarily picked up garbage on the street. Watchers say mature civic awareness has taken root through rallies that have continued for five consecutive weekends, generating a new culture of protest rallies.

As court allowed protestors to march up to 200 meters from the presidential office, citizens displayed a U-shaped human chain by surrounding the presidential office to the east, the west and the south.

Joo-Young Jeon aimhigh@donga.com · Jeong-Soo Hong hong@donga.com