PPP Lawmakers Stage Rally in Seoul Over North Korea Stance and Prosecution Reform
Dozens of opposition lawmakers protest President Lee Jae Myung's policies and handling of the DMZ mine blast.
Quick Look
Dozens of opposition PPP lawmakers staged a rally in Seoul, criticizing President Lee Jae Myung's prosecution reform and his response to a recent land mine blast involving North Korea.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Tensions heightened after a Sept. 21 land mine blast inside the Demilitarized Zone injured two South Korean soldiers seriously and one slightly.
SEOUL, Oct. 3 (Yonhap) -- Dozens of lawmakers from the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) staged a rally in central Seoul Saturday, criticizing President Lee Jae Myung's prosecution reform and the government's handling of the recent blast involving North Korean mines.
Led by leader Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok, nearly 70 PPP lawmakers attended the rally in central Seoul, which the party claimed was joined by some 200,000 protesters.
PPP floor leader Rep. Jeong Jeom-sig accused Lee of "not uttering even a single word against North Korea" despite the North's "mine provocation."
The criticism came amid heightened inter-Korean tensions following the Sept. 21 blast of North Korean land mines inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas. The incident left three South Korean soldiers injured, two of them seriously.
Rep. Lim Jong-deuk claimed Lee's description of the blast as an "unfortunate accident" during his Armed Forces Day address earlier this week showed he is "submissive" to North Korea.
Other lawmakers also directed their criticism at Lee's prosecution reform and his decision to increase the number of Supreme Court justices, accusing him of seeking to shield himself from his suspended trials.
It marks the first large-scale street rally by PPP lawmakers since their last one in late September last year.
Open Questions
- How will the government respond to the PPP's demands?
