Posted on 03/02/2003 6:15:10 PM PST by veronica
A large-scale pro-U.S. rally opposing the withdrawal of U.S. troops stationed here was held last Saturday in front of City Hall, downtown Seoul.
Some 100,000 members from the 114 conservative civic bodies, such as the Korean War Abductees Family Union and the National Council for Freedom and Democracy, gathered to protest against the North Korean nuclear plans and against Kim Jong-il on the occasion of the 84th anniversary of March 1 Independence Day.
They denounced the North Korean leader Kim for nuclear ambitions that, they said, have ratcheted up tension on the peninsula.
Amongst the demonstrators were former prime minister Chung Won-shik, former Sogang University president Park Hong, former Yonsei University professor Kim Dong-gill and National Council for Freedom and Democracy chairman Lee Chul-seung.
In addition, 83 lawmakers and Norbert Vollertsen, a German doctor who has helped North Korean defectors find asylum in the South, took part in the rally.
Participants of the rally said in a declaration, ``North Korea's nuke plan has haunted 70 million Korean people with the fear of war. They also called for the government to solidify its traditional alliance with the United States in pursuit of the national prosperity and world peace.
Holding the national flags of the two countries, and chanting "We love America", the demonstrators played the national anthems of the two allies.
Saturday's rally came as Seoul and Washington have agreed to discuss how to increase South Korea's role in their bilateral military alliance, including the transfer of wartime command to the South Korean side.
Afterwards in the same day, the Christian Council of Korea held a ``save-the-nation fast prayer in Yoido, Seoul.
More than 100,000 participants prayed for ``restoration of national morality, national development and economic growth, improved human rights in North Korea and recognition of North Korean asylum seekers.
Meanwhile, about 50 Korean residents in the United States staged a rally in front of the White House Saturday in protest against anti-American sentiment in South Korea and North Korea's nuclear development.
The protesters called for activists in South Korea to stop anti-U.S. movement and to halt their demand for withdrawal of U.S. troops.
They also urged the North to end its nuclear weapons development and China to stop sending fleeing North Koreans back to their hunger-stricken homeland.
The demonstration was organized by a U.S.-based Korean human rights group, called the ``Asia Pacific Human Rights Association, led by a pastor, Yoo Cheon-jong.
The protesters said in an open letter to U.S. President George W. Bush that it is not the right time for the United States to withdraw or rearrange its troops stationed in South Korea, and any withdrawal or rearrangement should be determined after full Korea-U.S. consultations.
``The presence of U.S. troops in South Korea is very beneficial to both countries in many aspects, they claimed in the letter.
The protesters also issued a statement to President Roh Moo-hyun, asking him to make clear his opposition to U.S. military withdrawal or rearrangement, and to draw up countermeasures to deal with anti-Korean sentiment in the United States.
They also urged the U.S. government to consider every possible measure to make the North to scrap nuclear development and abide by international law.
They also called for to take measures to help North Koreans living in adverse conditions in China.
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