hankyoreh

August 21. They presented a manifesto signed by 233 people asking for those responsible to be legally reprimanded and for President Park Geun-hye to apologize. (by Kim Jeong-hyo

By Oh Yoon-joo, Jung Dae-ha, Kim Il-woo and Park In-geun, Cheongju, Gwangju, Daegu and Jeonju correspondents

The fervor behind the candlelight vigils that started in Seoul has spread throughout South Korea: passing through the larger regional metropolises and trickling into the smaller towns, even reaching Land’s End Village, at the southern tip of the peninsula. The small groups of people gathering for the countryside candlelight vigils include not only the farmers that are normally busy harvesting peppers and sowing the cabbage and radishes for the fall kimchi making, but even vacationers at beaches.

In Seoul, where the vigils started, the movement is expanding to neighborhood candlelight gatherings in districts such as Geumcheon, Dobong, Seocho, and Gangnam.

Farmers, clergy, citizens, and civic groups in Eumseong County in North Chungcheong Province held the Eumseong Citizens Emergency Meeting on Aug. 21 at Eumseong County Hall. Members of the meeting read a manifesto that stated, “We decided to take part in the popular candlelight vigil movement to preserve democracy. President Park Geun-hye must dissolve the National Intelligence Service and admit the government’s interference in last year’s presidential election.”

Following candlelight gatherings at a parking lot in Geumwang, Eumseong County, on July 25 and Aug. 2 and 9, the group decided to hold a large-scale candlelight vigil on Aug. 23.

“We’re in the middle of a drought and every farmer has their hands full. But we are concerned about what is happening in the country, and we have decided to stop working for a while,” said Lee Sang-jeong, leader of the Eumseong County Farmers Association.

“We decided to hold a candlelight vigil to show our support for the people in the cities who are taking part in the candlelight vigils at Seoul Plaza and elsewhere. We also want to show our obstinate government that even farming communities in the countryside are angry about the NIS’s interference in the presidential election.”

The candlelight vigils that began in the capital city of Seoul have already spread to towns in the countryside. After the torches were raised in large provincial cities such as Busan, Daegu, Daejeon, and Cheongju, more recently candlelight vigils have begun spreading one by one in the countryside, like twinkling fireflies. On the evening of Aug. 22, a candlelight vigil will be held at Land’s End Village in South Jeolla Province.

The Haenam County farmers’ association has been holding a candlelight vigil every Thursday evening since July 26. In South Jeolla Province, demonstrations and candlelight vigils condemning the National Intelligence Service have taken place in Naju, Gwangyang, Hwasun, and Jangheung. Regular candlelight vigils have also been held since the beginning of July in Iksan and Jangsu in North Jeolla Province.

“People’s participation and engagement keeps increasing in every region,” said Hwang In-cheol, the head of civic projects with the Iksan branch of People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy.

Candlelight vigils and manifestos had been uncommon in North Gyeongsang Province because of the region’s conservative culture, but now candles are also being raised in Poyang and Gyeongju. Between 100 and 200 locals and vacationers took part in candlelight vigils held at Yeongildae Beach in Pohang on Aug. 13 and 20.

In Asan, South Chungcheong Province, candlelight vigils have been held at the square in front of Onyang Hot Springs Station every Tuesday. In Seocheon County, they have taken place at the Spring Village Square in Sunsa-ri, Seocheon every Thursday. In Seocheon, the eighth candlelight vigil will be held on the evening of Aug. 22.

“When you hear what people have to say when they speak during open mic sessions, the rage and betrayal that they feel as a result of government agencies’ interference in the election is more than you could imagine,” said Kim Yong-bin, head of the Seocheon Supporters Citizen Meeting. “This is the countryside, so it took us a while to start lighting our candles, but they’re burning brighter each day.”

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