Protests in Seoul

By Hannah Kim, Foster Undergraduate who is participating in an exchange with Yonsei University

I don’t know if you’ve been following world news, but the largest political movement since the democratic movement in Korea has been taking place since the summer. There have been protests of close to one million people every weekend in Gwanghamun Square, which is where Korea’s City Hall and Blue House are located.

I was in the area last weekend and that part of the city was shut down due to the masses of people. It was such a peaceful and moving protest. A mother was sharing her story of her son, who she lost in the Sewol Ferry Sinking in 2014. There were families with their young children, grandparents, large groups of both high school and college students, and everyone in between. The movement, to me, seems largely united and is calling for the president to step down. It was so interesting to be in another country to witness one of the greatest political movements in their history.