Pressure on South Korea's scandal-hit president to resign escalated sharply Saturday, with organisers claiming a million-strong turnout at one of the largest -- and loudest -- anti-government protests the country has ever witnessed.
Chanting "Step down Park Geun-Hye!" enormous crowds, including high school students, Catholic nuns, labourers, farmers, retirees and young couples with babies, massed in the streets of central Seoul in a powerful display of popular anger and dissent.
While police put the turnout at 260,000, organisers said one million people took part in what was the third in a series of weekly protests over a corruption scandal that has left Park fighting for her political survival.
On the back of official appeals for calm, police deployed around 25,000 officers, many of them in full riot gear, while police buses and trucks blocked every access road -- major or minor -- around the presidential Blue House.
As night fell, Seoul's main ceremonial boulevard Gwanghwamun became a moving river of flickering candles held by the banner-waving, slogan-chanting demonstrators calling on Park to quit.
"It was our wedding anniversary yesterday but we cancelled our anniversary trip and came to Seoul because we thought it was more important for our daughter," said Cho Joo-Pyo, who came with his wife and their two-year-old.
Cho's family had travelled from Jeonju, around 200 kilometres (120 miles) south of Seoul -- one of tens of thousands who travelled from cities across the country to participate in the biggest anti-government rally since the pro-democracy protests of the late 1980s.
- Fraud and scandal -
The scandal engulfing Park for the past three weeks has focused on her close friend, Choi Soon-Sil, who is currently under arrest on charges of fraud and abuse of power.
Prosecutors are investigating allegations that Choi, 60, leveraged their friendship to coerce donations from large companies like Samsung to non-profit foundations which she set up and used for personal gain.
She is also accused of interfering in government affairs, despite holding no official position.
Lurid reports of the unhealthy influence Choi wielded over Park have seen the president's approval ratings plunge to five percent -- a record low for a serving president.
And Saturday's rally was a focal point for a litany of other complaints, from plunging rice prices to the government's handling of the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster.
One group dressed in traditional funeral gear carried a large "presidential coffin" covered with a banner reading: "Step down Park Geun-Hye, killer of agriculture, farms and farmers."
The family-friendly protest was peaceful but sometimes reached deafening volumes as performers and activists whipped the crowds into a raucous frenzy from a giant stage.
"We're so close to the Blue House. Let her hear us roar!" yelled one speaker who was rewarded with a massed bellow of approval.
- Spurned apologies -
In an effort to soothe public anger, Park has issued several public apologies, voicing her personal "heartbreak" at being the cause of such widespread anger and distress.
She has also reshuffled top officials and even agreed to relinquish some of her extensive executive powers, but the popular calls for her to step down have been relentless.
"She has apologised but I don't think it was sincere," said college student Ahn Ye-jin.
"As Korean citizens, it is up to us to bring about change in this country and that is why I am here today. Park has to go," Ahn said.
Most experts have suggested the president, who has just over a year left of her single five-year term, will be able to ride out the crisis and remain in office, albeit with her authority and ability to govern seriously undermined.
Opposition lawmakers have largely avoided direct resignation calls and appear more interested in extracting further concessions from Park in terms of devolving power to the legislature.
But the sheer size and volume of Saturday's demonstration will be impossible to just ignore.
"Judging from what I saw today, people's resentment against her is simply too strong for Park to stare this down," said Lee Yeon-Ho, a political science professor at Yonsei University.
"People are literally seething with anger," Lee said.
AFP
Sat Nov 12 2016
This long exposure photograph shows protesters marching towards the presidential house during an anti-government rally in central Seoul on November 12, 2016. - AFP photo
DUN Sarawak beri penghormatan terakhir kepada Mutang Tagal
Dewan Undangan Negeri Sarawak memberi penghormatan terakhir kepada Yang Dipertua Dewan Negara Datuk Mutang Tagal yang meninggal dunia pagi tadi.
KPM peruntuk lebih RM134 juta selenggara tandas SBK tahun ini - Wong
Lebih RM134 juta diperuntukkan kepada 1,919 Sekolah Bantuan Kerajaan (SBK) bagi projek menaik taraf serta menyelenggara tandas sekolah.
Solidariti Pan-gon bersama Faisal
Kim Pan-gon menyatakan sokongan padu kepada pemain berusia 26 tahun itu agar segera pulih dan kembali beraksi di padang.
Nawabs ramal kemarau dua bulan lebih awal, bantu agensi sedia langkah mitigasi
Amaran awal membolehkan semua agensi berkaitan khususnya agensi teknikal merancang persediaan awal dan mengambil tindakan mitigasi bersesuaian.
Servis sekali bergilir dilaksanakan di Piala Dunia Sepak Takraw 2024
Sistem penggiliran servis dengan pengiraan baharu mata 15 itu diguna pakai dalam acara berpasukan, regu dan double.
Sekatan bantuan: Ketua Bantuan PBB bimbang krisis kemanusiaan di Gaza semakin teruk
Selama tiga hari berturut-turut, tiada apa-apa atau sesiapa pun yang dibenarkan masuk atau keluar dari Gaza.
Takiyuddin patut berhenti guna politik murahan - Nik Nazmi
Strategi politik murahan bagi meraih undi pada PRK DUN Kuala Kubu Baharu (KKB) tidak memberi keuntungan kepada pengundi.
Kerjasama awam swasta perlu dipertingkat bagi manfaat sektor rel negara
Kerjasama awam swasta perlu dipertingkatkan bagi pembangunan dan pembangunan semula infrastruktur serta kemudahan sektor perkhidmatan rel negara ini.
AWANI Ringkas: Azam Baki dilantik setahun lagi
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Mahalini, Rizki Febian selamat diijab kabul, kini bergelar suami isteri
Pasangan popular Indonesia, Mahalini dan Rizky Febian telah selamat disatukan sebagai pasangan suami isteri pada awal pagi Jumaat.