- Title: South Korean workers hold massive anti-president rally
- Date: 30th November 2016
- Summary: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (NOVEMBER 30, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS GATHERED FOR RALLY PROTESTERS CHANTING HOLDING BANNERS / LETTERS ON BANNER READING (in Korean): "PARK GEUN-HYE, RESIGN IMMEDIATELY" PROTESTERS CHANTING EFFIGY OF SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT PARK GEUN-HYE PROTESTERS CHANTING PROTESTERS HOLDING BANNERS / LETTERS ON BANNER READING (in Korean): "PARK GEUN-HYE, RESIGN IMMEDIATELY" RALLY IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SPOKESPERSON OF KOREAN CONFEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS (KCTU), NAM JUNG-SU, SAYING: "The public had anticipated an immediate resignation announcement in President Park Geun-hye's third address. However (Park) consistently denies her criminal actions and is behaving shamelessly by passing (the responsibility of deciding) her resignation date onto the National Assembly." VARIOUS OF POLICE OFFICERS STANDING PROTESTERS MARCHING WITH EFFIGY OF SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT PARK GEUN-HYE EFFIGY OF PARK GEUN-HYE PROTESTERS MARCHING WHILE HOLDING BANNERS / LETTERS ON BANNER READING (in Korean): "PARK GEUN-HYE, RESIGN IMMEDIATELY" PROTESTERS MARCHING IN FRONT OF ONE OF SAMSUNG GROUP OFFICES AND POLICE OFFICERS INSIDE THE BUILDING / LETTERS ON POSTER READING (in Korean): "ARREST LEADER OF CONGLOMERATE" VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING FLAG OF SAMSUNG FLYING VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING
- Embargoed: 15th December 2016 09:10
- Keywords: strike politics scandal Park Geun-hye president protest
- Location: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- City: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- Country: South Korea
- Reuters ID: LVA0015AMXXZ9
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Tens of thousands of workers from a South Korean umbrella labour union held a massive rally in Seoul on Wednesday (November 30) to urge President Park Geun-hye to step down over a recent influence-peddling scandal.
About 20,000 workers attended the rally in front of Seoul city hall. Around 220,000 workers were taking part in a nationwide strike on Wednesday, the Korea Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) said.
"The public had anticipated an immediate resignation announcement in President Park Geun-hye's third address. However (Park) consistently denies her criminal actions and is behaving shamelessly by passing (the responsibility of) her resignation date onto the National Assembly," said spokesperson of Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), Nam Jung-su.
After the rally, protesters marched down Seoul street and stopped by offices of some South Korea conglomerates including Samsung to call for an arrest of their executives.
Prosecutors are investigating whether Park exerted improper pressure on "chaebol" conglomerate bosses to raise funds for two foundations at the centre of an influence-peddling scandal involving a friend of hers.
Park, who has immunity from prosecution in the case as long as she remains in office, is alleged by prosecutors to have colluded with a friend, Choi Soon-sil, to enable her to wield improper influence in government affairs and in fundraising by two foundations set up to back Park's initiatives.
She has denied wrongdoing but acknowledged carelessness in her ties with Choi.
Park asked parliament on Tuesday (November 29) to decide how and when she should quit, which opposition lawmakers dismissed as a ploy to buy time and avoid impeachment. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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