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S.Koreans expected to hold biggest Saturday rally against president

Xinhua, November 26, 2016 Adjust font size:

Enraged South Koreans are expected to hold the biggest Saturday rally, with organizers estimating about 2 million people would take to the streets nationwide to demand embattled President Park Geun-hye step down.

The fifth weekend demonstration is set to be held around the Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, just over a kilometer away from the presidential Blue House where President Park's office and residence are located.

An association to let the Park Geun-hye administration resign, composed of about 1,500 civic groups, predicted a turnout of some 1.5 million people in the Seoul protest alone.

It would become the country's largest-ever demonstration in downtown Seoul. At the third Saturday rally on Nov. 12, around 1.3 million marched in the capital city, surpassing the June 1987 demonstration that drew about a million protesters.

This Saturday, about 500,000 people are forecast to rally in major cities across the country, according to the estimate by organizers.

Public anger is escalating as President Park has dismissed growing calls for her voluntary resignation. Instead, the presidential office encouraged politicians to push forward impeachment.

Impeaching President Park could be a political challenge for opposition parties as the impeachment process can take months and cause division.

At least two-thirds of the 300-seat National Assembly is required to vote for the impeachment bill to be passed in the parliament. Opposition parties said it would put the bill to vote as early as next Friday.

By law, the impeachment motion must be endorsed by six out of nine judges of the constitutional court. Two judges are set to end their tenures in January and March next year, indicating the need to get approvals from six of the remaining 7 judges.

This Saturday's protest may beat the organizers' expectation given that the previous four rallies ended in an orderly and peaceful manner. Ordinary citizens, ranging from couples with children to secondary school students and grey-haired people, are expected to join the festival-like rally.

The official event is scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. local time, and people are to march toward the presidential Blue House from 4 p.m.

Organizers plan to form a "human chain" by letting people gripping each other's arms around the Blue House as the Seoul administrative court allowed demonstrators to march up to 200 meters away from President Park's office.

Police reportedly mobilized 25,000 police officers in Seoul to brace for a possibility that the rallies turn violent and to prevent some protesters from marching inside the Blue House. Enditem