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‘Memorial Rally for the Middle School Girls’ Continued

‘Memorial Rally for the Middle School Girls’ Continued

Posted December. 08, 2002 22:24,   

한국어

Rallies in memory of the middle school girls, who were killed by the US Army armored car and asking the amendment of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) were held in all over the country including Seoul, Busan, Gwangju while around 50,000 citizens gathered this weekend on the 7th and 8th.

Citizens held their hands and had a candle light demonstration in memory of the late Shin, Hyo-Soon and Sim, Mi-Sun in many places in the city, and they asked the invalidity of the US Army trial, trial of assaulter in the Korean court, direct apology by the US President George W. Bush, and total amendment of SOFA.

And also in America, 30 of the People`s Countermeasure Committee for the Death of the Middle School Girls (People`s Committee) Visiting America Protesters had a protest demonstration in front of the White House main gate in the afternoon of the 7th, and during the process, one was arrested due to physical contact with the police.

▽Weekend demonstration=In the afternoon of the 8th, around 800 citizens including the Democratic Laborers` General Union had a impeachment rally against the middle school girls murdering US soldiers. In the same day, around 40 members of the 4-Wheel Drive Association had a vehicle demonstration in front of the US Camp Red Cloud in Euijungbu, Gyeonggi. Before that, in the day and night of the 7th, candle light demonstrations in memory of the dead middle school girls were held in major down town areas in Seoul including the Sejongro Crossroads, the Jongmyo Park, and the College Street.

The People`s Committee held a ‘Candle Light Human Chain Connecting Rally to Make an Independent Country’ while 3,000 college students, members of citizen organization, and netizens at the Jongmyo Park in the afternoon of that day, and marched to in front of the Dong-A Daily building in Gwanghwa-Mun. And in the continued rally that night in Gwanghwa-Mun in Seoul, around 10,000 people participated including a singer Lee, Jung-Hyun, the Presidential Candidate of the Korea Democratic Labor Party Kwon, Young-Gil, and the Catholic Pastor`s Meeting for Justice Embodiment.

On that night, memorial demonstrations were held in all over the country such as the Gyonggi Euijungbu Station Plaza, the rear gate of the US Camp Walker in Daegu, the Taehwa Shopping in Busan, Chungjang-Ro in Gwangju, Chungju, Ulsan, and Chunchon. The People`s Committee is planning to hold the Great Peace Rally and Candle Light Demonstration at the Seoul City Hall Plaza with more than 100,000 people participating.

▽In front of the US White House=The leader of the People`s Committee Visiting America Protesters, Han, Sang-Ryul and around 30 officials of the People`s Committee had a physical contact with the police in front of the White House in the afternoon of the 7th while asking for a meeting with the President Bush and accepting the signed papers of 1,300,000 people.

During the process, Ms. Hong, Suk-Jung (24), who belonged to the New York Supporters for the People`s Committee, was arrested for the reason of assaulting a police officer.

The People`s Committee had a demonstration asking for the release of Ms. Hong for about 30 minutes, moved to the Ellis Plaza in the back of the White House, had a memorial ceremony for the dead middle school girls, and held a haircutting ceremony.

The People`s Committee had met the Korean residents in Maryland that night and departed for Los Angeles on the 8th.