Massive South Korean Protest

(Seoul, South Korea) An estimated 100,000 largely conservative and Christian protesters gathered and converged on the Seoul City Hall Plaza to condemn plans to abolish the South Korean National Security Law. The "Citizens' Mass Rally to Protect the National Security Law" was held in conjunction with the "10 Million Signature Campaign to Oppose the Abolition of the National Security Law." The law suppresses dissent by making it illegal to advocate or accommodate communism. Right wing South Koreans see the law as a necessity to battle pro-communist North Korean influences. During the event, demonstrators burned three North Korean flags and a poster of Kim Jong-Il, the North Korean leader.

"Those who are afraid of the National Security Law should leave this country!" the protesters chanted, waving small South Korean and US flags.

It needs to be mentioned that the National Security Law in South Korea is a domestic issue and it has nothing to do with the United States. Although it's quite welcome to see support for the U.S. in South Korea, having tens of thousands of American flags being waved during the National Security Law demonstration is probably inappropriate. Robert Koehler expresses some discontent in his detailed analysis of the issue at The Marmot's Hole.