Over 1.5Mln Expected to Gather in S.Korea for 5th Week of Anti-President Rallies
14:37 26.11.2016(updated 14:47 26.11.2016)
Over 1.5 million protesters are expected to attend the rally in Seoul on Saturday, in response to allegations of President Park Geun-hye's involvement in the influence-peddling and corruption scandal linked to her confidante, local media reported.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Yonhap agency reported, citing local police, that around 1,500 liberal and progressive civic groups have organized a rally around Gwanghwamun Square calling for Park to step down, with an expected 1.5 million participants. As of 4:00 p.m. (07:00 GMT), 200,000 citizens were estimated to have gathered.
The protesters also marched within 200 meters of the presidential office holding banners with messages such as "Arrest President Park."
At 8:00 p.m., participants are set to hold a blackout by putting out their candles, with ordinary citizens turning off their lights as a symbol of protest.
Police said they will deploy some 25,000 officers, despite previous protests ending peacefully.
This is the fifth rally since the outbreak of the scandal. Approximately 600,000 participants were present at the protest last week.
On October 24, media reported that Choi Soon-sil, a friend and "shadow adviser" of the president, allegedly received drafts of speeches and presidential documents, though she had never held a public post.
On November 20, the Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office filed formal charges against Choi and two of Park's former aides and stated that Park was suspected of being an accomplice in the conspiracy. South Korea's main opposition Democratic Party (The Minjoo) has announced plans to seek vote on Park's impeachment in December. On Friday, Park's approval rating fell to a record-low of 4 percent.
© Sputnik
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