Hundreds of Thousands Peacefully Gather in Yeouido and Gwanghwamun, Impressing Foreigners

Mass Gatherings

Large-scale rallies held in Yeouido and Gwanghwamun proceed peacefully

On the 14th, large-scale gatherings with hundreds of thousands of participants were held in Yeouido and Gwanghwamun, Seoul.

At the rally in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido in favor of impeachment, an estimated 208,000 people gathered according to unofficial police estimates,

while a rally against impeachment took place in Gwanghwamun, with up to 41,000 people assembling.

This rally is considered to have proceeded more peacefully than ever before.

Peaceful Rallies, Citizen Participation, and Interest

The rallies held in Yeouido and Gwanghwamun concluded without any clashes or violent incidents, considering their scale and the number of participants.

According to Yonhap News, no one was arrested on the spot at the rally that day, and no citizens were transported to the hospital due to cold-related illnesses.

The police reported that both rallies proceeded peacefully.

Citizens participating in the rallies expressed their opinions peacefully and showed mutual respect.

In Yeouido, a "pre-payment" culture was established, with coffee and warm drinks provided frequently, and winter supplies like hot packs were also found being distributed free of charge in various places.

At the Gwanghwamun rally, participants could be seen preparing snacks and sharing them with those around them.

Citizens' New Rally Culture, Positive Change

This rally showed that a culture of expressing opinions peacefully is taking root.

Regardless of conservative or progressive affiliations, citizens calmly continued the rally while respecting each other's opinions.

Experts gave positive assessments of the citizens' attitudes displayed at this rally.

The rally was non-violent and peaceful, showing that Korean society is developing a mature rally culture.

Foreigners also impressed, high praise for Korea's passionate civic culture

In particular, foreigners visiting Korea showed great interest in this rally.

Sara (53), a tourist from Germany, said, “I came to Korea two weeks ago, and when a state of emergency was declared, I was bombarded with calls from my family asking if I was okay. I was very impressed to see Korean citizens so passionately voicing their opinions to the government.”

Furthermore, Amanda, an American citizen, said, “I have great respect for Koreans who participate in these rallies every week,” and expressed her support for Korea and its people.

The fact that foreigners expressed such great respect for the rally culture of Korean citizens suggests that Korean society is undergoing positive changes in terms of democratic values and political participation.

It was confirmed that Korea is more politically passionate than ever and is receiving high attention from the world.

Conclusion

Korean democracy and civic consciousness deliver a positive message to the world

This rally will remain an important example demonstrating Korean society’s civic consciousness and the maturity of its democracy, going beyond simple political issues.

The sight of people with diverse opinions sharing their views peacefully and respectfully signifies that Korean society’s way of practicing democracy is gradually maturing.

This rally shows that, beyond Korea's political situation, its citizens' participatory culture is developing healthily.

The reactions of foreigners show that Korea's political passion can have a positive impact on the world.

Korea's rally culture will continue to develop in a democratic and peaceful manner, further strengthening the positive image of Korea in the international community.

Source: Maeil Business Newspaper