Anti-Yoon activists draw fire for shooting toy arrows at president's photo

▲ Photos captured from Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun's Facebook page show a game, in which contestants shot toy arrows at photos of President Yoon Suk Yeol, first lady Kim Kun-hee and Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon, during an anti-Yoon rally in Seoul on Feb. 11, 2023. (PHOTOS NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

anti-Yoon rally-controversy

Anti-Yoon activists draw fire for shooting toy arrows at president's photo

SEOUL, Feb. 14 (Yonhap) -- Liberal civic groups organizing a series of rallies in Seoul to call for President Yoon Suk Yeol's resignation have come under fire after some people shot toy arrows at photos of Yoon, first lady Kim Keon Hee and Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon during their latest rally.

The civic groups held their 26th rally around Namdaemun in central Seoul on Saturday afternoon to demand Yoon's resignation and a special counsel investigation into Kim's alleged irregularities in the past.

At that time, a tent named "Shooting at Yoon Suk Yeol" was set up near the central stage.

People were asked to shoot toy arrows at dolls with portraits of Yoon, Kim and Han attached to their faces. In the background, there was also a target with the president's face in the center and many anti-Yoon slogans.

The civic groups disclosed a photo of a rally participant shooting a toy arrow at the portraits in an internet cafe the following day, while some individual participants also posted related videos on their blogs.

A civic activist has defended the event as a "satirical performance" that can be allowed against the president in a democratic society.

Among conservatives, however, Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun of the ruling People Power Party has denounced the event as deviant behavior, saying it is lamentable to see people express excessive antipathy just because of their different political positions.

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