Government Asks Control from Senior Citizens

The government held a policy coordination meeting presided by Acting President and Prime Minister Goh Kun on April 6 and agreed on urging the Korean Senior Citizens Association to keep control in opening a rally in Jongmyo Park on Thursday to protest against Uri Party Rep. Chung Dong-young’s belittling remark about elderly citizens.

Although the demonstration has not been reported in advance and is considered illegal, the government will not take tough countermeasures such as blocking them off as they took into consideration that the participants are senior citizens.

Also, “Easter Save the Nation Prayer” will be held in Kwangwhamun on April 10 by several religious groups, but the government will just watch and see how it goes as they are told that it will be a purely religious event. However, the government will correspond to the law and the principle if it becomes a political one.

Meanwhile, the meeting this day also allowed more than 3,600 illegal immigrants from Uzbekistan and seven other nations to re-enter by applying the industrial trainee system. These immigrants are among the illegal immigrants from 17 countries who have left the country due to the government’s advice to leave voluntarily.

Jung-Hun Kim jnghn@donga.com