Thousands of people took to the streets of Seoul on 29 October to protest against South Korean President Park Geun-hye and demanded that she resign from her position in the wake of a corruption scandal. Park recently admitted to allowing a friend and daughter of a religious cult leader to edit political speeches despite not being government officials.
While Reuters estimated that at least 30,000 people took to the streets officials have attempted to down play the demonstration claiming the numbers were closer to 8,000. After walking through the main areas of the capital city, the crowds gathered outside the presidential Blue House where they demanded that the investigation being conducted into Parks alleged mishandling of her presidential tenure be done thoroughly.
The president allegedly allowed her long-time friend, Choi Soon-sil to interfere in important state affairs despite her not having the political clearance to do so. The protests on Saturday followed news that Park had ordered 10 of her senior advisers to quit in the wake of the scandal.
South Korean left-leaning civic groups are now pushing for the president to step down before her five-year term ends in 2017.
According to Yonhap news agency, prosecutors are also investigating a number of foundations set up by Choi, which allegedly exploited her ties to the president, and from which she is believed to have benefited to the tune of millions of dollars.
Its actually a system where Choi tells the president to do things this way or that way. There arent any issues where the president can decide on her own, Lee Sung-han, a close Choi associate, told the South Korean daily the Hankyoreh.
Choi, for her part, has admitted to receiving presidential documents in advance, but denies intervening in state affairs or pressuring companies into donating to the foundations.
