By MOOK Scenic Spots / Compiled and Reported by Tianma
The impeachment and protests against South Korean President Park Geun-hye have overshadowed the entire country, with TV news almost entirely covering related updates. (Image provided by Cheryl)
Park Geun-hye is the first South Korean president to be successfully impeached. A new president must be elected within 60 days, and the local political and social situation in South Korea may experience fluctuations—something to keep in mind before planning a trip in the near future.
Gyeongbokgung Palace is a renowned attraction in Seoul, South Korea, originally built as the main palace by King Taejo of the Joseon Dynasty, Lee Seong-gye. (Image / MOOK)
The scandal involving President Park Geun-hye’s close confidante Choi Soon-sil, which included bribery and abuse of power allegations, led to multiple large-scale anti-Park protests across South Korea in late 2016. Many citizens and students took to the streets, with the Constitutional Court, Gwanghwamun, Gyeongbokgung Palace, City Hall, and the Blue House—all well-known landmarks—becoming sites of protest. In November 2016, a protest at Gwanghwamun drew as many as 650,000 people, crowding the entire square.
On Saturday, March 4, just before Park Geun-hye’s impeachment, both anti-Park and pro-Park groups held large-scale protests, with the anti-Park crowd significantly larger (visible on the left side of the image). (Image provided by Cheryl)
Choi Soon-sil’s daughter, who attended the prestigious Ewha Womans University under controversial preferential treatment, also made the university a notable Seoul tourist attraction. Although opposition to Park Geun-hye reached 96–97%, a small number of her supporters may still organize protests or demonstrations. Travelers to South Korea in the near future should be aware of this major national event. In addition to staying informed about local conditions, this period also offers an opportunity to observe and understand the current state of South Korea’s political and social landscape.