PICTURES: 8.15 Massive Rallies in Seoul Calling for Moon Jae-in Out

August 15, 2020, Tara O

Despite the rain on August 15, 2020, crowds gathered, calling to oust President Moon Jae-in.  August 15, 2020 is a national holiday in Korea.  On August 15, 1945, Korea was liberated after the Japanese Empire surrendered to the U.S. and allied powers.  After its first-ever election in May 1948, formation of the National Assembly, the choosing of the first president of the country Syngman Rhee, and the writing of the constitution, the Republic of Korea was born on August 15, 1948.

At least 26 organizations planned rallies, but the Seoul City government sent notices banning the rallies just days before, citing Coronavirus, although other activities with crowds were not banned.  Ten organizations filed for an injunction, and only two were approved, while the rest were rejected by the Seoul administrative court, but even that is considered a victory.  (2:15) One of the biggest groups, Sarang Jeil Church led by Reverend Jeon Kwang-hoon (전광훈), a vocal critic of Moon Jae-in and his administration, was cancelled, (1:19) as the authorities suddenly claimed a Coronavirus cluster infection (although no evidence of test results and no symptoms), preventing them from assembly for two weeks, according to a sign posted by Seoul’s Seongbook District head.  The church members take precautions, such as wearing masks, checking temperature, and sitting apart, and had no problem.

The authorities sent 6,000 police and numerous buses, and blockaded pathways to the rallies.

The below are photos and videos from the August 15, 2020 rallies.

Videos

Aerial view video, people flow out of Gwanghwamun/Syngman Rhee Plaza, 2020-8-15

깨어난 대한민국 국민들! pic.twitter.com/SNUzGfamqS

— Covenant4 (@Covenant49) August 15, 2020

8.15 광복절 국민대회

People chant “Overthrow the dictator,” “Fraudulent Elections, Nullify in its entirety.”

8.15 청와대 진격 최전선 적선동 사거리 실시간 상황

People chant “Impeach Moon Jae-in,” “Fraudulent Elections, Nullify in its entirety”

(현장취재) 광화문 100만 모였다! 광화문으로 계속 집결 중! / 신의한수 20.08.15

(1:02) Numerous people were coming out of the Gwanghwanum Subway Station, but the police blockaded the exit area so that people can’t get to the rally sites.  (1:15:00) A woman states she is a hard working mother, who has saved to buy a rental property in the county side. She uses the money to help pay for her sick child’s medical expenses.  She said “now he is turning a hard working mom like me into a “jeokpae” (deep-rooted evil) criminal.  So he’s doing whatever he can to block getting mortgage loans and preventing us from being able to buy a house in Seoul.” She excoriated Moon Jae-in for trying to steal her house and property through significantly increased property-related taxes and lamented that this is  Moon’s promised “world never experienced before.”

(1)8.15 광복절 광화문 주변 오후 상황

People gathered, despite the rain.

국민대회 참석한 박상학 “어이 김정은이?!”…그리고 “재앙!?”

(0:18) Park Sang-hak began by saying,“it has been 72 years since the establishment of the Republic of Korea.”  “What did Moon Jae-ang (“Jae-ang” means disaster) say when he visited Kim Jong-un? ‘I’m the president of the “south side.”’ Park criticized Moon for saying he’s the president of the “south side,” rather than the president of the Republic of Korea.  Pak said he has been investigated for a month by the national security investigation unit, which is supposed to investigate North Korean agents and spies, not the target of North Korean agents (Park is targeted by North Korea).