Park Geun-hye supporters hold ongoing rallies at Daehan Gate to demand her release

Posted on : 2017-11-20 17:04 KST Modified on : 2017-11-20 17:04 KST
Conservative civic groups demonstrating blind allegiance to the imprisoned former president
A member of the Taegeukgi Citizens’ Revolution National Movement Headquarters holds a night watch in the waiting room at Seoul’s Namdaemun Police Station on Nov.16. For the past six months
A member of the Taegeukgi Citizens’ Revolution National Movement Headquarters holds a night watch in the waiting room at Seoul’s Namdaemun Police Station on Nov.16. For the past six months

Elderly supporters of ousted former President Park Geun-hye have been pouring into the first-floor petitioners’ waiting room at Seoul’s Namdaemun Police Station. They hold night watches in old chairs at the corner of the lobby, fending off the late fall cold through the night with an electric pad and two neatly folded blankets across the chairs.

“We are preparing to hold a Taegeukgi (patriotic) rally in front of Daehan Gate. The police station accepts demonstration reports every day at midnight, so we take turns waiting until midnight to file a report and go home.”

Lee Bo-hee, a 54-year-old spokesperson for the Taegeukgi Citizens’ Revolution National Movement Headquarters, was present at the station’s petition office on the evening of Nov. 9. The Assembly and Demonstration Act stipulates that reports for outdoor demonstrations can be filed as of 720 hours (30 days) before they begin. The petitioners maintain an around-the-clock presence before the Namdaemun office to ensure access to Daehan Gate, the so-called “heart of conservatism” where the Taegeukgi demonstrations have consistently been held.

The effort to monopolize demonstrations at the gate by filing nightly reports has continued for six months. In addition to the recent one-year anniversary of the candlelight demonstrations for Park’s impeachment, Nov. 19 also marked one full year of demonstrations to keep her in office. Parksamo (People Who Love Park Geun-hye), the Korea Freedom Federation, and around 80 other conservative groups first waved the South Korean flag at a pro-Park demonstration in front of Seoul Station on Nov. 19 of last year. As the reason they have held out for the past year, they pointed to their “uncontained pure love” for Park.

Throughout the conversation, Lee made repeated references to a “citizens’ revolution.”

“This is a citizen’s revolution to raise consciousness and share the truth about the Park Geun-hye administration for people misled by the media,” said Lee, who claimed to have been the head of a small gaming company before quitting in Oct. 2016 to focus on activities with [conservative] groups.

Lee was accompanied in the petition room until around 8 pm on Nov. 9 by Won Jong-rye, 64.

“Park Geun-hye is someone who never married and lived her life for the country and Korean people. It’s just terrible [what happened to her],” Won said. “I would give my life if it would remove the false charges against her.”

Won, who described [herself] as a member of the National Movement Headquarters leadership, also asked whether the reporter had eaten dinner, and produced some chocolates from her bag to share.

The Namdaemun Police Station lobby is not heated. After around three hours sitting there with Won, a draft started circulating, and the reporters’ legs started to shudder. The chocolate may have been necessary just to keep the hunger and cold at bay. Won also reported visiting Seoul Detention Center when Park was detained. The Park supporters referred to the center as “Seocheongdae” – a name meaning “the Blue House inside Seoul Detention Center.”

“We cannot recognize the impeachment because it was about driving out an innocent president, so the Seoul Detention Center where President Park is now the Blue House,” said Won.

A few days later, on the morning of Nov. 13, a 50-year-old surnamed Lee, who reported performing the role of “US flag bearer” during marches, was holding down the fort at the office.

“I carry a US flag at the demonstrations because the US has helped us every time we’ve been in danger. Our country is in danger right now,” Lee said.

Yet when asked about [his] basis for claiming that farmer Baek Nam-gi was “deliberately killed” during a demonstration last year or that current President Moon Jae-in was elected due to “rigged vote counting,” Lee remained silent, the fine wrinkles at the corners of his mouth briefly clenching.

By Shin Min-jung, staff reporter

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]

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