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Pro-government supporters rally in Seoul over minister

05 October 2019 15:22 (UTC +04:00)

Thousands of pro-government supporters on Saturday swarmed the streets of South Korea's capital to voice their support for the country's beleaguered justice minister as he faces growing pressure to resign amid a criminal investigation into suspicions of financial crimes and academic favors surrounding his family, APA reports citing Washington Post.

The rally in front of state prosecutors' offices in southern Seoul came days after huge crowds poured onto a major boulevard near the city's downtown presidential office demanding the ouster of the minister, Cho Kuk, a close confidant of President Moon Jae-in.

The protests and counter-protests occupying streets separated by the Han River that cuts through Seoul illustrate how the months-long saga over Cho, described by pundits as a bloodless "civil war," has further polarized a nation already grappling with deep divides along political and generational lines.

The pro-government demonstrators, responding to the battle cries of Moon's ruling Minjoo party and the president's unwavering support for Cho, see the ongoing investigation on Cho's family as an attack on the liberal Moon administration.

They believe prosecutors are pushing an aggressive probe to rattle Cho, who despite the scandal is seen as a future presidential hopeful for the liberals, because his plans for reforming the country's justice system include curbing the powers of state prosecutors.

Carrying banners, yellow balloons and signs that read "Protect Cho Kuk" and "Reform the Prosecution," protesters occupied an avenue in front of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, roaring and chanting in support of Cho and singing along blaring protest songs performed from a stage.

"The candles you hold today will lead us past the darkness," novelist Lee Woe-soo, a vocal supporter of Moon, said from a stage as the rally stretched into the evening. "We will absolutely win."

Police did not provide an estimate on the size of the crowd, which appeared to be in the tens of thousands. The protest was proceeding peacefully and there were no immediate reports of major clashes or injuries as of Saturday evening.