The Korea Herald

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Websites help protesters find prepaid meals, drinks, bathrooms

By Yoon Min-sik

Published : Dec. 13, 2024 - 15:53

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This screenshot of the website This screenshot of the website "Siwido Bapmeokgo" (Korean for "Eat First, Then Protest") shows a map of establishments near the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, offering prepaid food and drinks for protestors.

As thousands of protesters gather to demand President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, dedicated websites are popping up with information on where to find rest areas, bathrooms and even meals paid for by supporters in the general public.

An anonymously created website called "Siwido Bapmeokgo (Torch Map)," whose name translates to "Eat First, Then Protest,” shows eateries and cafes near the protest sites where citizens have preordered and paid for food and drink. The website shows the locations of the prepaid items, the names of those who ordered, the operating hours of the venues, and how much food and drink remains to be picked up.

The map shows that most of the food and drink has been ordered in the cities of Seoul, Busan and Gwangju. Most of the items are coffee and sandwiches, along with some hot meals such as noodles.

At around noon on Friday, a burger restaurant in front of the National Assembly was shown to have 40 hamburger combo meals waiting to be picked up. This particular offer was available only to women.

The operators of the website said they do not plan to accept sponsorships or advertisements. Instead, they urged would-be benefactors to patronize the shops and restaurants near the protests.

Another website with the same function is "Candlelight Protest Guide," which was created by a 30-year-old person surnamed Yoo. This site also provides information about where to pick up free food and drink, along with tips about the legal rights of protesters and what to bring when participating in a rally -- things like identification, emergency contact numbers, water, medication and comfortable clothing and shoes.

"Yeouido Bathroom Map," created by a US-based Korean professor, provides information about public bathrooms around the Yeouido area. The professor said he created the map after seeing people searching for or lining up in front of bathrooms, and plans to distribute a printed guide on Saturday, the day of the second parliamentary vote on Yoon's impeachment.

President Yoon Suk Yeol is under criminal investigation for insurrection in relation to his controversial imposition of martial law on Dec. 3. While the first parliamentary vote last Saturday was thwarted by a boycott from nearly all lawmakers in the ruling People Power Party, polls show that an overwhelming majority of South Koreans support the president's removal from office.

A Gallup Korea poll of 1,002 adults across the country showed Thursday that 75 percent of respondents want Yoon to be impeached, while only 11 percent approve of Yoon as president. Some 71 percent said Yoon's declaration of martial law was an act of insurrection.