- Title: Huge protest held against South Korean president
- Date: 19th November 2016
- Summary: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (NOVEMBER 19, 2016) (REUTERS) (NIGHT SHOTS) VARIOUS OF CANDLELIGHT PROTEST IN PROGRESS PROTESTERS CHANTING WHILE HOLDING CANDLES AND POSTERS PROTESTERS CHANTING WHILE HOLDING CANDLES AND POSTERS / YELLOW COLOURED POSTER READING (Korean): "PARK GEUN-HYE RESIGN!" VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING WHILE HOLDING CANDLES AND POSTERS PROTESTERS HOLDING CANDLES AND POSTER READING (Korean): "PARK GEUN-HYE STEP DOWN IMMEDIATELY" POLICE OFFICERS AND PROTESTERS STANDING POLICE OFFICER HOLDING FLAG, STANDING VARIOUS OF POLICE OFFICERS AND PROTESTERS STANDING (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) 50-YEAR-OLD PROTESTER, JU JAE-HYUN, SAYING (AS HIS WIFE IS HOLDING POSTER READING (Korean): "PARK GEUN-HYE STEP DOWN IMMEDIATELY"): "I had expected president Park Geun-hye to step down after the third rally. Against my expectations and the people's expectations, she hasn't resigned yet. We will continuously join the fifth and sixth upcoming protests until Park Geun-hye resigns." CANDLELIGHT PROTEST IN PROGRESS VARIOUS OF STUDENTS HOLDING FLAGS, POSTERS, CANDLES, AND BANNER, CHANTING WHILE MARCHING PROTESTERS HOLDING CANDLES AND MOBILE PHONE WITH TORCH ON PROTESTERS HOLDING POSTER AND CANDLES, SITTING (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) 18-YEAR-OLD STUDENT, HONG IN-SEO, SAYING: "I'm here today to participate as I was extremely upset about the fact that Chung Yoo-ra (Choi Soon-sil's daughter) easily entered Ewha Womans University thanks to her family background, while we had to study till 10 pm at school for after school-study-session (to prepare for a college entrance exam)." COUPLE WALKING WITH THEIR DOG POSTER ON DOG'S BACK READING (Korean): "PARK GEUN-HYE STEP DOWN" DOG WALKING PROTESTERS PERFORMING MEXICAN WAVE WITH CANDLES AND MOBILE PHONES WITH LIGHT ON TOP SHOT OF PROTESTERS PERFORMING MEXICAN WAVE WITH CANDLES AND MOBILE PHONES
- Embargoed: 4th December 2016 13:37
- Keywords: Seoul South Korea Park Geun-hye president protest demonstration
- Location: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- City: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
- Country: South Korea
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0015940407
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Seoul on Saturday (November 19) in the fourth straight weekend of protests against embattled President Park Geun-hye.
Park is resisting calls to step down amid an ongoing political crisis in which she is alleged to have let an old friend, Choir Soon-sil, meddle in state affairs.
The scandal has rocked Park's presidency and united Koreans in disapproval, culminating in a protest last weekend that saw a million people march on Seoul by some estimates.
Saturday's protest was smaller as protest groups also organised demonstrations in regional capitals. Police said at least 155,000 people had packed into a central Seoul square early on Saturday evening for a candle-lit rally. Organisers said the number was 500,000.
Park's confidante Choir Soon-sil has been arrested and charged with pressuring so-called "chaebol" corporate conglomerates to donate $68 million to two foundations she controlled and using her position to get her daughter preferential admission to an elite university.
High school students also joined the crowds in Seoul on Saturday, free to protest after finishing important national exams this week.
Park has pledged to cooperate in an investigation into the scandal. Prosecutors are expected to bring indictments against Choi Soon-sil and two former presidential aides tomorrow.
Park's approval ratings have been at a record-low 5 percent for the last three weeks because of the scandal over her friend. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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