by Yoo Seungki
SEOUL, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- President Park Geun-hye of South Korea has been impeached by lawmakers, but people took to the streets again in the cold winter on Saturday, saying impeachment is not everything they want.
The bill to impeach Park was passed through the National Assembly on Friday by 234 ballots to 56 with seven invalid votes and two abstentions. It beat expectations as public pressure surged on the unicameral assembly, especially Park's own party, to force her from office.
Voters sent thousands of text messages, called "text bomb," a day to lawmakers hesitating to vote for the impeachment, paralyzing some smartphones. Demonstrations continued to screw yes votes out of the ruling Saenuri Party.
Nearly half of 128 ruling party legislators voted in favor of the impeachment on Friday.
"Impeachment is not an end. It's just a start," said a 73-year-old man who declined to be identified. The man said in a square in central Seoul that he had attended all weekend rallies since the presidential scandal surfaced in October.
The seventh Saturday candlelight vigil was held in the Gwanghwamun Square, just over a kilometer away from the presidential Blue House where Park's office and residence are located.
Park maintains the title as president, but she is stripped of all executive powers that are handed to Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn. Her permanent removal requires the two-thirds approval from the nine-judge constitutional court that has up to 180 days to deliberate on it.
"It's just a start. The court's ruling remains. Citizens must continue to go to the streets," said Kim Su-bin, a 22-year-old college student.
She worried about uncertainties left until a final conclusion is reached to permanently remove the president from office, saying it is high time to manifest people power.
What people on the streets want is clear: the coming of "Seoul spring" in which the spring implies a new era.
In modern history, South Koreans have seen their hopes for a new era stolen by military dictators.
In 1960, former President Rhee Syngman, the country's first president, stepped down on public uprisings against his corruption and autocratic rule, raising hope for a new era.
The hope was destroyed about a year later as former President Park Chung-hee took power in a military coup. The father of impeached President Park Geun-hye was assassinated in 1979, ending the 18-year dictatorship and triggering mass rallies to usher in a new era.
The second hope was dashed again as the rallies ended with a massacre in the southwestern city of Gwangju orchestrated by former President Chun Doo-hwan who usurped power in a 1979 military coup.
"The vicious cycle of history must be cut off," said the 73-year-old man. He said the proven adultness of civic awareness will deter any attempt to repeat the vicious cycle.
The 22-year-old college student said she felt a strong solidarity in recent candlelight vigils, adding that trusting each other is the only way to gain momentum on the streets.
