Tens of thousands of South Koreans protest against president

Tens of thousands of South Koreans protested in central Seoul on Saturday (November 12) in one of the largest demonstrations in the country’s capital for years, calling for embattled President Park Geun-hye to resign over a growing influence-peddling scandal.

The massive protest led by Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), the more strident of the country’s umbrella labour groups, dominated the City Hall Square in downtown Seoul and roads nearby before the candlelibhg rally scheduled in the evening.

The protest was also attended by many other regular people, including school students and families with young children.

“Even regular people like myself came out here to add more power to depose Park Geun-hye as she is still staying in office shamelessly,” said 17-year-old high school student, Jang Jin-woo.

Police said roughly 250,000 were at the protest, while protest organizers said 550,000 have assembled. Media reports said more were expected to join a candlelight rally later in the evening, making the protest one of the biggest since demonstration in 2008 against U.S. beef imports.

Park has been rocked by a scandal involving an old friend who is alleged to have used her closeness to the president to meddle in state affairs. Park has pledged to cooperate with prosecutors in an investigation.

Koreans have been angered by the revelations and say Park, the latest South Korean leader to be embroiled in a scandal involving family or friends, has betrayed public trust and mismanaged her government.

Her approval rating has slipped to just 5 percent according to a Gallup Korea poll released on Friday (November 4), the lowest number for a South Korean president since such polling began in 1988.