Tens of thousands of South Koreans took to the streets of central Seoul on Saturday in its sixth consecutive rally to demand the scandal-hit President Park Geun-hye’s resignation over an influence-peddling and corruption scandal.

As of 4 p.m., up to 500,000 protestors packed main boulevards in central Seoul, according to rally organizers, and began to march toward the presidential office along three main routes to ramp up pressure on Park to step down.

This is the sixth week of major protests against the president, which were sparked by revelations surrounding the president’s longtime friend Choi Soon-sil. Choi is alleged to have meddled in state affairs, used her connections to gain improper college admission for her daughter, and pressured companies into donating to funds which she is then suspected of using for her own personal gain.

For the first time in recent history, protestors were allowed to march as close as 100 meters from the presidential office by 5:30 p.m., the closest spot from Cheong Wa Dae, upon a local court’s order.

Last Saturday, protesters were able to get closer to the presidential office than past rallies, gathering in front of Cheongu-dong community center, just 200 meters from the presidential office.

Ahead of the march, several demonstrations were held across Seoul.

At 2 p.m., protesters held a rally in front of the Saenuri Party headquarters in Yeouido, southwestern Seoul, showing the public anger directed at lawmakers opposing Park’s impeachment. Organizers said 20,000 people took part but police put the number at 1,000. 

Blasting the ruling Saenuri Party for failing to support the impeachment motion against President Park, they chanted “Resign, Park Geun-hye. Dissolve the Saenuri Party!” 

Saturday’s rally will be a yardstick to gauge public sentiment following President Park Geun-hye’s third televised apology on Tuesday and the Assembly’s failure to hold a vote on the impeachment of the embattled president a day earlier.

“I think Park’s third televised address was a sophisticated political ploy. Now, the public fury, which was directed at President Park and her confidante Choi Soon-sil, spreads to the National Assembly,” Seo Young-soo, 23, told the Korea Herald at the Gwanghwamun Square. “I am angrier at Park now.”

On Tuesday, Park issued an apology for the third time, saying she would leave the length of her term up to the parliament, including cutting her term short.

“As Park Geun-hye delays resigning from her post, she is sparking infighting in the National Assembly,” said Kim Seong-ju, 27, while marching to the presidential office. “We have no choice. The public themselves should topple the president.”

On Friday, the initial plan among the main opposition parties and anti-Park group within the Saenuri Party to vote for an impeachment motion against Park fell through, though there was general agreement to pass one next week.

The main event of the day is scheduled at 6 p.m. in Gwanghwamun Square, and will run for an hour. Protestors will light their candles and again march toward the presidential office at 7 p.m. 

On the other side of Seoul, some 15,000 loyal supporters of President Park staged a rally in front of Dongdaemun Design Plaza, slamming anti-Park protestors. The police tally was 1,500.

President Park Geun-hye’s approval rating remained at record-low 4 percent this week, a Gallup Korea poll showed Friday, while 91 percent disapproved of her.

So far, the cumulative number of Koreans who took to the streets to demand President Park step down has exceeded 4 million, according to rally organizers. Last Saturday alone, up to 1.9 million people participated in the rally, with 1.5 million gathering in Seoul.

By Ock Hyun-ju  aBak Se-hwan (sh@heraldcorp.com) (laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)