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“Get Out!” in Tourists’ Faces… Anti-China Protests Stain Korea’s No.1 Tourist Spot | 관광객 면전에 “꺼져라”…혐중시위 얼룩진 ‘관광1번지’

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“Get Out!” in Tourists’ Faces… Anti-China Protests Stain Korea’s No.1 Tourist Spot | 관광객 면전에 "꺼져라"…혐중시위 얼룩진 '관광1번지'

[Anchor]
In Myeong-dong, one of the most popular destinations for foreign tourists, anti-China protests take place several times a week. Foreign visitors who came here because they like Korea are shocked by the scenes, raising concerns that this could harm the country’s image. Reporter Lee Eun-jin takes a closer look.

[Reporter]
This is the exit of Myeong-dong Station, where tourists from all over the world come through. But as you can see, the path to the main street is completely blocked by police barricades. On the other side, where you’d normally see a department store, the view is blocked by police buses.

It’s fully fortified — but what is happening today that requires this much preparation? Let’s take a look.

People carrying Korean flags and phone tripods start to gather. As the sun sets, the crowd grows and the atmosphere heats up.

[Protesters shouting: “Chinese, get out of Korea immediately!”]

Chants mixed with profanity. They claim China interfered in Korea’s presidential election.

Now the march is starting in earnest. Around 1,000 people, waving Korean flags and signs saying “China Out,” are moving into the main tourist street. The noise is already deafening. Let’s follow them.

They flood into a narrow alley and shout at the top of their lungs.

[Protesters: “Republic of Korea! Republic of Korea!”]

Foreigners stare in shock. And then the hateful slurs pour out:

[Protesters: “Ch***, N*** (anti-North Korean slur), Ch***…”]

Calls to drive them all out, eliminate them, purge them.

[Protesters: “Commies, get out of Korea right now!”]
[Protesters: “China out! China out!”]

A Chinese tourist watching the scene said he felt sad.

[Protesters shouting: “Chinese, get out immediately!”]

[Li Wanming / Chinese tourist: “I enjoyed traveling in Korea, and the food suited my taste. But as a Chinese person, this kind of behavior makes me feel hurt.”]

For ordinary people, the physical sense of threat in a foreign land is shocking.

[Liu / Chinese tourist: “If safety becomes an issue, I’ll have to think carefully before visiting Korea again. Nobody wants to go somewhere their life is at risk or where they aren’t respected.”]

Other foreigners watching said they couldn’t understand the situation.

[Giovanni / American tourist: “I don’t know exactly what they’re doing against China, but it’s not right for the Stars and Stripes to be used as a symbol opposing another country.”]

A tourist asked the protesters: isn’t tourism separate from politics? But their answer was firm:

[Anti-China protester: “The Chinese who come to Korea are Communist Party members. They have money.”
{Tourist: “So you think tourists bear responsibility too?”}
“Yes. They’re accomplices.”]

This kind of march takes place three times a week. For local merchants, their livelihoods are at stake.

[Myeong-dong street vendor: “Them coming here and making this much noise just doesn’t make sense. Business is already terrible these days, and then they do this on top of it…”]

When the protest ended, trash was left scattered on the street. Among it, a Korean flag — ironically, made in China. It says “Made in China” right on it.

Hate and hostility directed at ordinary people — under current law on assemblies and demonstrations, there’s no way to stop it. One tourist, who came here simply because he liked Korea, said he would never return. Hate and discrimination carried out in the name of freedom of assembly — who knows when it will come back to us?

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