hubbub at the National Assembly

From about 2 p.m. to almost 4 p.m. yesterday (Sunday), I sat in a coffee shop and caught up with the Notorious Lara T, who had suggested meeting in or near Yeouido. Since I had also wanted to do a long walk, I decided that I'd simply trek to my apartment from our meeting place—a trip that would take about six hours since I was starting just west of Yeouido, at Dangsan Station. I didn't end up walking all the way: because of a lack of foresight, I hadn't brought along my scarf, gloves, inner jacket, and mask for when the weather would turn especially chilly after sunset. In the end, I did about three hours' walking before giving up and catching a cab to cover the rest of the distance. But the early part of my abortive walk took me past the Gukhoe ("gu-kweh," i.e., the National Assembly)—or, more fully, the Gukhoe Euisa-dang, i.e., the National Assembly Building—the meeting-place for South Korea's unicameral parliament. I could hear it before I got close, but as I walked past the front of the building, I saw what seemed to be a protest of some sort happening on the building's front steps. People with signs were there, and a man and a woman seemed to be taking turns working a bullhorn, barking something or other that I couldn't understand (I can't understand bullhorn-speak when it's in English). That was pretty much the highlight of my walk. I got another ten or twelve kilometers before the sun set, and then I gave up, hailing a cab and heading back to my apartment in defeat. I really ought to plan better next time.

Those pics of the protest (click to enlarge):