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Pro-Park

The backlash from opponents of President Park Geun-hye’s impeachment is intensifying as final arguments in the Constitutional Court trial approach. Police have begun offering physical protection for Constitutional Court justices and members of Special Prosecutor Park Young-soo’s team.

“We’ve begun deploying an exclusive force of officers to the homes and offices of Park and some Special Prosecutor’s team members to provide special physical protection,” the National Police Agency said on Feb. 25.

The team made a request with the agency on Feb. 23 to provide security for six prosecutors, including Park himself, four assistance special prosecutors, and investigative team leader Yun Seok-yeol - a decision based on fears of an unforeseen situation occurring. A violent demonstration took place in front of Park’s home on the afternoon of Feb. 24, with participants swinging aluminum bats and yelling that Park should be “beheaded.” On Feb. 7, a photograph was posted in front of the Special Prosecutor’s office in Seoul’s Gangnam district showing Park and team spokesperson Lee Gyu-cheol being hanged. Police also began providing special physical protection for the eight Constitutional Court justices on Feb. 23.

Indeed, a 25-year-old surnamed Choi posted a threatening message on Feb. 23 on the internet cafe for the group Association of People Who Love Park Geun-hye (Parksamo).

“With the current system of eight Constitutional Court justices, it will be a seven-person system once [acting president of the Constitutional Court] Lee Jung-mi is gone,” Choi wrote.

“I‘ve already lived a full life. I would have no regrets dying now if I could save the country. I’m going to kill Lee Jung-mi.”

Choi subsequently turned himself in on Feb. 25 under pressure from his investigation by police, who plan to investigate his motives and possible involvement by others before deciding whether to request an arrest warrant.

Aggressive statements and violent acts were also seen at a 14th national rally for the impeachment’s rejection held near City Hall on Feb. 23 by the National Indignation Rally Headquarters for Overturning of the President’s Impeachment. Appearing on stage at the event were Kim Pyeong-woo and Seo Seok-gu, both attorneys on Park’s legal team at the impeachment trial, along with Liberty Korea Party lawmakers Kim Jin-tae, Cho Won-jin, and Yoon Sang-hyun.

“There are three demon justices on the Constitutional Court,” shouted headquarters co-representative Jeong Gwang-jo toward the court.

“It is because of them that blood will be spilled on the asphalt if President Park’s impeachment is affirmed. They will witness a tragedy,” Jeong declared.

Referring to Lee Jung-mi, and impeachment trial chief judge Kang Il-won, Media Watch president Byeon Hee-jae warned, “They‘re trying to impeach the entire system of Constitutional government. [We] cannot guarantee their safety.”

A 70-year-old citizen surnamed Yang was subjected to facial injuries from anti-impeachment rally participants while passing around flyers reading “Is this a country?” which called for a decision in favor of the impeachment.

“Around ten people dressed in Marine uniform assaulted me, shouting about how I was a ’commie,‘” Yang said.

Police said they were “investigating to identify the individuals who committed the assault.”

Another disturbance occurred when a 68-year-old surnamed Lee was arrested carrying two two-liter canisters of what was believed to be a flammable substance near the main stage of the anti-impeachment demonstration. Lee told police he “planned to set myself on fire because I’m angry about this situation.”

Police deployed around 17,000 security forces from 212 companies to the scene to prevent clashes between participants in the candlelight and anti-impeachment demonstrations. The National Indignation Rally Headquarters claimed attendance of three million on Feb. 25 and announced another large-scale rally on Mar. 1 with attendance by five million people.

By Ko Han-sol and Park Su-ji, staff reporters

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