South Koreans rally again, this time to cheer impeachment

SEOUL, South Korea — The previous time South Korea’s parliament voted to impeach a president, ruling party lawmakers bawled and hurled ballot boxes, a man set himself on fire in front of the National Assembly, and thousands glumly held candlelight vigils night after night to save late liberal President Roh Moo-hyun.

Twelve years later, the mood couldn’t have been more different, with massive crowds returning to Seoul’s streets on Saturday, a day after lawmakers voted in favor of removing President Park Geun-hye. The vote for impeachment left protesters basking in pride, believing they had repaired a damaged democracy with their weekly demonstrations.

Thousands of people marched near streets close to the presidential palace, where Park will remain mostly alone for up to six months until the Constitutional Court rules whether she must step down permanently. She is accused of colluding with a friend to extort money and favors from South Korea’s biggest companies

Carrying signs, flags and yellow balloons, the protesters shouted for her to quit immediately.

They waved their arms to the beat of gongs and drums and followed an effigy of Park in prison clothes into an alley near the presidential offices and residence, known as the Blue House.

“Park Geun-hye, get out of the house! Get out of the house now!” the marchers chanted. “Come down and go to jail!”

Tens of thousands of demonstrators packed a large nearby boulevard that was the center of massive protests in recent weeks.

“We got off to a good first step (on Friday). It was a day when we all realized how strong we can collectively be,” said Kim Hye-in, 51, an out-oftowner who spent her sixth consecutive Saturday in Seoul protesting against Park. “But we aren’t there just yet.”

Protest organizers said about 600,000 people turned out Saturday.

On Friday, the opposition-controlled parliament passed an impeachment motion against Park, stripping her of her presidential duties and pushing Prime Minster Hwang Kyo-ahn into the role as government caretaker until the court rules on Park’s fate.