Parties clash in S. Korea

Supporters of ousted prexy, anti-Park protesters in street encounter

SEOUL—Supporters of impeached South Korean President Park Geun-hye clashed with antiPark protesters Saturday, as large crowds of demonstrators again gathered in Seoul to demand the scandal-ridden leader’s immediate ouster.

The historically large weekend protests over an explosive corruption scandal pushed South Korea’s opposition-controlled parliament to vote this month to impeach Park. The impeachment suspended Park’s powers until the Constitutional Court decides whether she should permanently step down or be reinstated.

While polls measure Park’s popularity in the low single digits, her impeachment has become a rallying point for her conservative supporters, who turned out in the thousands on Saturday.

They waved the country’s white national flag and shouted for Park’s “illegal” impeachment to be “nullified,” and the “rotten” parliament to be dissolved.

The tension was tangible as anti-Park protesters, whose numbers were much bigger, gathered on a boulevard across the street from where Park’s supporters were rallying.

Despite thick lines of police officers separating them, there was some yelling and shoving between the two groups, with one Park supporter hitting an anti-Park protester with the pole of her flag. There were no immediate reports of serious violence or injuries.

Huge throngs of anti-Park protesters later walked toward the presidential offices and residence, known as the Blue House, carrying candles and signs and demanding that Park immediately quit. (AP)