Man Arrested After Climbing Bridge Tower in Busan in Anti-Presidential Protest

A 40-year-old man who climbed a bridge tower in Busan in an anti-Presidential protest was arrested Saturday morning. He climbed a tower suspending the cables of the Gwangan suspension bridge in Busan at 2:30 a.m. on Saturday, to express his protest against President Park Geun-hye. He said he's not contented with Park's second apologetic speech on Friday regarding the whole Choi Soon-sil scandal. He said to climb up the bridge tower hoping for his frustrations to be heard.

The man, who's just known by his surname Choi, decided to climb 50 meters above the bridge deck in wee hours to stage an anti-Presidential protest. He stayed on top for about 40 minutes, requesting the policemen to bring in some news reporters. He said he wanted to air his frustrations on the President and wanted news reporter to hear it so they can deliver it to her.

Choi voluntarily descended the tower after 40 minutes. He was then brought to the nearest police station for apprehension. He was charged with obstruction of public officials.

This anti-Presidential protest is in connection with the Choi Soon-sil scandal that rocked the whole nation right now, causing President's Park approval rating to go down to a single digit. Rallies such as this have been staged in different parts of the country, asking Park to step down from her office. And although anti-Presidential protests such as this had been going around the country for quite some time now, the police were able to maintain peace and orderliness. But climbing the bridge tower is an attempt to stage an anti-Presidential protest is another thing. It surely caused this man to get himself in trouble with the authority.