In South Korea, joy at president’s ouster — and hopes for a new era

A crowd of South ­Koreans, jubilant at the impeachment of their president, Park ­Geun-hye, over a corruption scandal, took to the streets of Seoul on Saturday night to call for her arrest and imprisonment.

The crowds were much smaller than the huge candlelight rallies that contributed to her ouster, but the sense that this was a historic moment was clear. Thirty years after they protested to bring democracy to their country, South Koreans had protested to bring about the peaceful removal of a president.

“The Republic of Korea is a democratic nation,” people sang in the central Gwanghwamun Plaza, waving signs that said ­“Arrest Park Geun-hye” and “Go to prison.”

Some people took selfies in front of a replica jail cell containing cardboard cutouts of Park and the others implicated in the scandal, while others snacked on specially packaged “prison bread.”

“The power of the candle! Justice has triumphed,” yelled John Shin, a 29-year-old translator at the rally. A band played the Queen hit “We Are the Champions.”

But there was also anger that, about 30 hours after her dismissal and three months after she was suspended from duties, Park remained in the presidential Blue House, which is within earshot of the rallies.

 

Read the whole story from The Washington Post.

Featured image courtesy of AP.