- Title: South Koreans protest on New Year's Eve for Park's resignation
- Date: 31st December 2016
- Summary: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (DECEMBER 31, 2016) (REUTERS) (NIGHT SHOTS) SOUTH KOREAN PROTESTERS GATHERED AT GWANGHWAMUN SQUARE FOR ANTI-PRESIDENT RALLY PROTESTERS WAVING CANDLES AND POSTERS PROTESTERS WAVING CANDLES AND POSTERS / POSTER READING (Korean): "REGIME CHANGE IN THE NEW YEAR" PERFORMANCE ON STAGE AND PROTESTERS WAVING CANDLES / LETTERS ON STAGE READING (Korean): "SAY GOOD-BYE TO (PRESIDENT) PARK, AND WELCOME THE NEW YEAR" GIRL HOLDING CANDLE PROTESTERS HOLDING CANDLES AND POSTERS
- Embargoed: 15th January 2017 13:45
- Keywords: Seoul South Korea president Park Geun-hye protest New Year Eve
- Location: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- City: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- Country: South Korea
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0015F7R39H
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: On the last night of 2016, South Koreans held a massive candlelight protest for the tenth straight weekend demanding President Park Geun-hye, who has been impeached by parliament over a corruption scandal, step down immediately.
About 900,000 people gathered for the anti-president rally as of 9 p.m. (1200GMT) on Saturday (December 31), according to the organiser. As in the previous rallies, the protest was largely peaceful with songs and speeches at the Gwanghwamun square a few blocks from the presidential Blue House.
Protesters called for Park's immediate resignation.
"I hope this protest can be an opportunity for Korea to be rational for the future generation. I hope the situation clears up fast and the President resigns quickly, so that we can have a great Republic of Korea in the future," said a 35-year-old protester, Park Jong-bo.
"Since many cases were revealed including President Park Geun-hye's maladministration, and many problems with conglomerates, I think President Park Geun-hye's impeachment case will probably be passed, and I hope it will be approved as soon as possible," said another protester, 38-year-old Ahn Seung-joon.
The rally came after a South Korean court issued an arrest warrant for the head of the national pension fund, the world's third largest, in a corruption scandal that has led to Park Geun-hye's impeachment, according to an official.
Park is accused of colluding with her old friend Choi Soon-sil to pressure big businesses to make contributions to non-profit foundations backing presidential initiatives.
She has denied wrongdoing but apologized for carelessness in her ties with Choi, a friend for four decades, who has also denied wrongdoing. Choi is in detention while on trial.
Park's impeachment is being reviewed by the Constitutional Court, which has 180 days from the December 9 parliament impeachment vote, to uphold or overturn it and reinstate the leader. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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