Tag: protests

A group of civic activists in front of the foreign ministry in Seoul on Dec. 27, 2017, calls for the scrapping of an agreement made between the South Korean and Japanese governments in 2015 over issues surrounding the Japanese military’s sexual enslavement of Korean women during World War II. Earlier in the day, a foreign ministry task force announced the outcomes of its five-month review, concluding that the accord lacked efforts to listen to victims, euphemistically called “comfort women,” before reaching the deal. (Yonhap)

Members of a Japanese organization that dislikes Korea stage a protest near the Korean Culture center in Tokyo on Dec. 19, 2017, when South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha was visiting it to inspect a Korea-Japan photo exhibition there. (Yonhap)

A group of Islamic residents and South Korean activists holds a news conference condemning U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in front of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul on Dec. 12, 2017. (Yonhap)

A group of supporters of former President Park Geun-hye stages a rally on a street in Seoul on Nov. 14, 2017, demanding the release of Park who has been on trial for alleged bribery and a few other charges for the past several months after her impeachment. (Yonhap)

It is good to see the large turn out of people welcoming President Trump to Camp Humphreys:

President Moon Jae-in (L) meets with U.S. President Donald Trump at Camp Humphreys, the new home of the U.S. Eighth Army, in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, on Nov. 7, 2017. (Yonhap)

When U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in Korea, Tuesday, it was not just President Moon Jae-in who came to greet him ― from early morning, supporters and opponents of Trump gathered in various parts of the country awaiting the U.S. leader.

At Camp Humphreys ― Trump’s first official destination and a newly expanded U.S. military base in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul ― over 1,500 conservative civic group members waved American and Korean flags, shouting “We love Trump,”alongside banners hailing the two country’s alliance.

On the other side, a smaller group of around 20 people stood with posters written, “No Trump, No War.”  [Korea Times]

It is also good to see that the Moon Jae-in administration has been able to keep the anti-US leftists under control in Seoul as I expected they would do:

But the largest rallies took place near Cheong Wa Dae and Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, where an anti-Trump alliance of over 220 liberal civic organizations filled the streets.

Beginning with a press briefing in front of the Cheongun-dong office near the presidential office before noon, the group members made their way to Gwanghwamun Square.

From morning, 15,600 police officers blanketed the area, boosting security measures against possible contingencies. Gwanghwamun Square was surrounded by a wired fence and bus barricade.

You can read more at the link, but according to ABC News “hundreds” of anti-Trump protesters showed up in Seoul.  By Korean protest standards this is a pathetic turn out and shows that the Moon administration likely reigned in their left wing base to not come out in force and make fools of themselves during the President’s visit.

A group of Biafrans calls for the Nigerian government to stop the suppression of ethnic Biafrans in the eastern states of the African nation during a news conference in downtown Seoul on Oct. 26, 2017. Biafra declared independence in 1967, which led to two and a half years of civil war, and was reintegrated into Nigeria after the war. (Yonhap)

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) has been emboldened ever since the Korean left was able to impeach President Park.  So them protesting the US Navy personnel in Busan is not surprising:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=tCJ6cS6xVHM

Pictures of an anti-U.S. protest rally in South Korea spread online, causing concern ahead of U.S.President Donald Trump’s state visit to the country next month.

The rally was led by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), the country’s second-largest umbrella trade union. Near a Busan hotel where the U.S. Navy held a party to celebrate its 242-year history Oct. 14, protesters chanted messages like “U.S. troops go home!”

Since then, photos and a video of their protest have been shared by thousands of people on social media, including U.S. sailors and their families.

In their propaganda pamphlet to the sailors, they said, “Koreans despise dotard Trump. We also abhor you, his servants. It is because you are a war monster.”

A 35-second video, which is believed to have been filmed by a U.S. sailor on the same day, shows a Korean woman screaming and cursing at U.S. soldiers.

The KCTU, which has carried out anti-U.S. protests before, also criticized local police on its Facebook and Twitter accounts for protecting the sailors from protesters.

The pictures, video and the KCTU’s messages aroused anger among many Americans as well as Koreans. [Korea Times]

You can read more at the link.

Protesters create the message “Arrest MB” with candles during a rally in downtown Seoul on Oct. 21, 2017. MB refers to former President Lee Myung-bak, who is accused of oppressing the media, artists, politicians and other prominent figures critical of him, using the intelligence agency as the controlling tool. Oct. 29 marks the first anniversary of the candlelight protest that led to the ouster of Lee’s successor, Park Geun-hye. (Yonhap)

A group of supporters of former President Park Geun-hye marches down a street in Seoul on Oct. 7, 2017, after holding a rally to demand the release of Park, who has been on trial for alleged bribery and a few other charges for the past months after her impeachment. (Yonhap)

A group of part-time teachers stages a rally in front of a government building in downtown Seoul on Sept. 9, 2017, to demand the government employ all irregular part-time teachers as regular full-time ones. (Yonhap)