Rallies that began roughly 40 days ago in protest over a ballot shortage during the June 3 local elections show no sign of abating, and illegal activity at the demonstrations has continued unabated. Police are investigating nearly 100 cases, with the number of suspects approaching 300. Amid the intense heat, protesters have been cooling themselves with handheld fans and folding fans as they press on with the demonstrations.
Online IDs traced after officers insulted, widening probe
Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency Commissioner Park Jeong-bo said at a regular press briefing at the agency's office in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Monday that police are "investigating a total of 289 people in connection with 99 cases of illegal activity" related to the rallies.
Police had previously announced on Monday, July 6, that they were looking into 83 cases involving 186 people — meaning the number of suspects grew by more than 100 in just one week.
Park attributed the sharp increase to officers who had been insulted filing reports identifying the online accounts used to attack them. "Officers who were subjected to insults submitted the IDs that attacked them online, which significantly expanded the number of people under investigation," he said.
Police are investigating interference with operations at the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, an illegal search and coercion involving youth handball national team players, obstruction of official duties including insults directed at officers, an assault on a journalist, and a physical altercation between rally participants.
Some suspects whose cases have been completed are now being handed over to prosecutors. A man surnamed Kim, in his 40s, became the first rally participant to be indicted — on Tuesday, July 7 — after spitting on a police officer. Kim had asked the officer for his name on June 23 before spitting on him.
Police reaffirmed their policy of managing the Olympic Park rallies at the current level. "Police will actively guarantee peaceful and orderly expression of opinion," Park said. "We will strictly manage any illegal acts that occur on an individual basis."
Protesters, meanwhile, show no sign of backing down despite the heat. Around 2 p.m. Monday, about 300 people gathered in front of the handball arena at Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, chanting slogans calling for a re-election over alleged fraud and for same-day hand-counting of ballots.
Sitting in the shade, waving flags, demanding a re-election
The temperature in Bangi-dong, Songpa-gu reached 33 degrees Celsius at midday Monday — hot enough to break a sweat just standing still. Protesters fanned themselves continuously with folding fans and handheld fans as they chanted. Some sought shade, spreading out mats or flattened cardboard boxes on the ground and waving South Korean and American flags.
A volunteer circulated through the crowd pulling a cart filled with iced water to guard against potential heat exhaustion. In a sun-exposed parking lot, some participants sat down on mats and chanted under parasols, bracing for the heat.
A Songpa-gu resident surnamed Kim, 55, who was chanting under a parasol, said she clearly remembers receiving a ballot on election day that listed only two candidates for Seoul mayor. "Since that day, I've been coming out to the rallies whenever I have time. I think I've come more than 30 times," she said.
"I can no longer trust our government institutions," she added. "It feels like we've reached the point where the United States needs to step in and change the election system. I think that's the only way protesters would accept the outcome and disperse."
On the incidents and disputes that have flared up around the rallies, she said: "I understand there are big and small troubles among individuals, but it's a shame that these incidents keep coming up when everyone is ultimately pursuing the same goal."
Some participants had come out on the first day of their summer vacation. A company worker surnamed Kwon, 39, said he had not been able to attend often due to his schedule. "Today is the first day of my summer vacation, and I had some time before heading off properly, so I came out during the day," he said.
Kwon said he believes the rallies will only end when concrete demands are met. "I think protesters will return to their lives only if a re-election is held as demanded, early voting is abolished, and same-day voting is fully overhauled to use hand-counting," he said.
20ki@heraldcorp.com
