Ambassador Harris, has signaled the US preference for the militarists on the far right in South Korea. The US flags at this unlawful Liberty Korea Party demonstration trespassing on the National Assembly grounds are their symbol of US bona fides. Their thuggish tactics at the democratic seat of government in South Korea are a political disgrace. The trespassers and bullies in front of the National Assembly building aim to shut down the National Assembly because they don't believe in democratic government. The fascist right is out of power and now an element of the opposition. They lost power when Park Geun-hye was impeached in April 2017. There was almost a military coup then imposed by martial law to derail the impeachment and trial of the now imprisoned Park Geun-hye. There appears to be the possibility of a coup now. It's safe to speculate that reactionary right wing governments in the US and Japan would have no problem with that.
Some of the fascist thugs in this crowd being encouraged to fight by the LKP leader Hwang Kyo-ahn allegedly assaulted some thirty members of the Democratic Party trying to go to work inside the assembly building. Hwang encouraged the trespassers, "we're winning. Thank you for your efforts." A former governor of Gyeonggido addressed the group telling them to not feel uncomfortable approaching the Assembly building because it was "their home" and that they should "make themselves comfortable." Demonstrating within a hundred meters of the National Assembly building is unlawful. The crowd also vandalized the reserved parking spaces for specific members of the Assembly, including the Speaker of the Assembly and the leader of the Democratic Party. The right wing supporters of the LKP and Hwang forced their way through the front gates of the grounds ostensibly protected by the police guards there. A small number of demonstrators forced themselves into the National Assembly building and became involved in another melee.
This is not a popular rebellion, it is groundwork being laid for martial law and a right wing coup d'etat. It's purpose is to create an atmosphere of intimidation and anarchy. The crowd is interfering with the functions of the National Legislature in a unlawful manner and directly threatening members of the Assembly that they don't like and have targeted for intimidation. Hwang had been criticized in the past by his base for not executing martial law in March or early April 2017 when the plans were in place while he was acting president during the Park Geun-hye impeachment and trial. Now he seems to be approaching the moment when he can be the man to trigger such an outcome, or at least create the circumstances where such an action can be entertained and rationalized.
This crowd wasn't that big. There is a cadre of political operatives running it supported by younger athletic men who know exactly what they are doing when they make physical contact with police and assault others.
This is a militarist right wing movement with christian evangelical support that arose out of the prior dictatorships and the prior corrupt administrations of Lee Myung-bak, and Park Geun-hye. Their goal is to overthrow the constitutionally elected government by obstructing its activities with unlawful methods including force. As predicted earlier here, the tactics take on the same characteristics as the movement in Hong Kong. The occupation of the legislative grounds and building was unprecedented. If a larger better equipped and directed police force is not present in the future, we can expect normal governance to cease in South Korea.
The parties of the left, center, and center right in South Korea need to close ranks and govern with resolve or they and their democracy will be destroyed and a fascist regime will emerge.
Update 12.17
The floor leader of the Democratic Party in South Korea, Lee In-young, in a press conference today, accused Hwang Kyo-ahn of instigating unlawful activities, and called for an immediate and thorough investigation and prosecution of all crimes which took place in Assembly Building venues on Dec 16. A prosecution team of 15 people has been assembled to pursue the investigation. Also on Dec. 17, 4000 police have been mobilized and currently are protecting the National Assembly. They have constructed a wall of police buses and plexiglass panels around the perimeter of the Assembly grounds to prevent intrusion by demonstrators or violent mobs.
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