Maga-inspired protests regularly take place on streets of Seoul amid chants of ‘Korea for Koreans’ as South prepares to host crucial Apec summit
Thousands of protesters flooded central Seoul on Saturday, waving Korean and American flags, Maga hats, and banners honouring slain rightwing activist Charlie Kirk.
They held placards reading “Korea for Koreans” as chants of “China out” and “send the communists away” blended with an anti-Chinese racial slur.
These rallies mark an escalation in anti-China sentiment that comes at a supremely awkward time for South Korea, just days before it is due to host Chinese president Xi Jinping in the south-eastern city of Gyeongju for the Apec summit, where he is set to meet Donald Trump on its sidelines.
President Lee Jae Myung, who has prioritised repairing ties with Beijing, warned the protests were “self-destructive” and damaging national interests and international image at a crucial time.
