Young activists move protest from Jamsil to Hongdae, demand 'rerun election'

Young conservative activists, initially a driving force behind protests at the Jamsil vote counting center in Seoul, have shifted their demonstration to Hongdae, a vibrant district popular with those in their 20s and 30s. The group, calling itself BOSS Hongdae, held a rally near subway exits 8 and 9 on Sunday, advocating for a "rerun election."

Early protests in Jamsil saw participants waving South Korean flags and chanting slogans for a new election. The movement peaked on the first weekend after its start, with unofficial police estimates reaching 30,000 attendees. However, as older participants became more prominent around April 8, the daily turnout dwindled to thousands, though weekend crowds swelled to about 10,000.

By Sunday, the 16th day of the protest, the number of demonstrators had fallen to approximately 1,700 by 4 p.m., with most attendees being elderly. They waved American flags and shouted slogans like "Fraudulent election, rerun election" and "Count votes on election day."

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The reason we are calling for a rerun election is because a situation occurred where people could not vote due to a lack of ballots. Please protect our right to vote.

The relocation to Hongdae appears to be an effort by some young activists to distance themselves from the "fraudulent election" narrative. Despite the rain, protesters in Hongdae wore raincoats or used umbrellas marked with "rerun election." A representative from BOSS Hongdae stated their demand for a rerun election stems from situations where people were unable to vote due to a lack of ballots, urging the protection of suffrage rights.

Park Tae-geun, the representative of BOSS Hongdae, emphasized their distinct position: "We have different thoughts from the participants in the Olympic Park protest. While the conservative camp mainly claims 'election fraud,' we believe in the need for left-right unity. Therefore, we are advocating for a 'rerun election' that all South Korean citizens can agree on."

Meanwhile, the "Movement to Correct the Republic of Korea," led by Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church, held a separate rally in Gwanghwamun, also demanding a "rerun election" and "vote counting on election day" while asserting claims of election fraud.

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We have different thoughts from the participants in the Olympic Park protest. While the conservative camp mainly claims 'election fraud,' we believe in the need for left-right unity. Therefore, we are advocating for a 'rerun election' that all South Korean citizens can agree on.