KBS News

11^th December 2016

By Bak Yeongmin

“Bak Geunhye, resign!”

After the decision to impeach President Bak was taken by the National Assembly yesterday, citizens held a candlelight rally urging Bak to resign at once before the Constitutional Court makes the final decision on the impeachment. “Bak Geunhye – resign!” is the slogan. Just outside the Blue House protesters set off firecracker to celebrate the news of the impeachment, and various scenes of celebration and festivities could be seen. Some protesters marched within a hundred metres of the Blue House. This is the second-closest approach made to the Blue House, with only the 6^th rally (in November) having come closer. Immediately after hearing the news of the impeachment protesters marched around the east, west and south of the Blue House and shouted for Bak’s resignation.

One protester, Shin Seongyeong from Taean in Chungnam province, said “the idea came to me that I want my children to live in a decent country [so I decided to protest].” Her son Hwang Sehun said “I’m very happy to be able to come to such a pleasant spot so close to the Blue House.” It’s estimated that around 80,000 people braved the sub-zero temperatures to protest, with the police officially estimating that around 12,000 people attended the candlelight protests. Participants continued with their rally until half past ten at night, the official cut-off time, and voluntarily disbanded without any conflict. Members of the “Support Group”, a pro-Bak organisation which claims that the impeachment is not valid, also held a counter-protest, emphasising that they don’t believe there are any legal grounds for Bak to be impeached. Jeong Gwangyong, the group’s chairman, said [the impeachment is farcical] and the President should not step down. Some members of the pro-Bak group approached the Blue House and struggled with candlelight protesters, but the police kept control of the situation.

1^st December 2015

KBS News

By Hwang Gyeongju

Yun Seokyul

Bak Yeongsu, who is investigating the Choi Sunshil case, has asked Yun Seokyul, who was the lead investigator for the “NIS commentary case”, to form a special investigative unit. Bak said the Ministry [of Justice] had requested the despatch. Special Prosecutor Bak commented that Yun had told his superiors that he was prepared to take on the challenge.

Bak refuted concerns that Yun may be seeking to gain revenge for the scrutiny he came under by the National Intelligence Service during the “NIS commentary case”. During the 18th presidential election, Yun led a special investigation team that investigated allegations that the National Intelligence Service has created so-called “commentary units” [which allegedly sought to influence public opinion towards Bak Geunhye by posting pro-Bak comments on various websites]. During this investigation, Yun was himself arrested, on the grounds that he had violated internal reporting procedures by seizing evidence from the NIS and had arrested an NIS employee who had opposed the Ministry of Justice prosecution’s top management. Won Sehun, a former director of [national news agency] Yeonhap News had been held by Yun’s team on suspicion of violating election laws and the National Intelligence Service Act.

Analysis: Fresh focus today on one of the previous embarassments of President Bak’s tenure: allegations that the government intelligence agency had engaged in partisan efforts during her election campaign to sway public opinion towards her by posting supportive comments on blogs and social media sites. Bak was never direcly implicated in that scandal in 2012, and many feel that it was unlikely she had any knowledge of the scheme, but the appointment of a prosecutor to her case which such direct experience of the murky underbelly of her career will do little to cheer her. Yun’s appointment is also a clear message from the Ministry of Justice to those who have criticised their efforts thus far for being overly gentle (for example, giving her official “witness” status in the investigation rather than making her a suspect alongside Choi Sunshil and others). With the weekly anti-Bak demonstrations across the country only growing in size, expect her resignation before Christmas.