DOMINANT ANGLE
Seoul describes riots of an unprecedented scale in decades, distinguishing between the peaceful masses and violent groups, and focusing on the tally of arrests and injuries.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
At least 1,800 people have been arrested, including 855 in the Paris region, and more than 500 police officers, gendarmes, and firefighters have been injured (Korea Times).
- 02
Around 550,000 protesters according to the Interior Minister, 800,000 according to the CGT; the city hall of Limoges, which was set on fire, saw its roof collapse.
- 03
Lecornu claims that the government will not be "intimidated" and Macron promises to prosecute the perpetrators; a televised address is scheduled for Sunday.
ANALYSIS
Seoul, October 18, 2026. South Korea's press recounts Saturday, October 17, in France as a flare-up of urban violence. The Korea Herald and the Korea Times headline the "worst riots in years": according to them, protests against the rising cost of living and the deterioration of public services have degenerated, to the point of reaching "some of the worst violence the country has witnessed for decades".
The account distinguishes between hundreds of thousands of peaceful protesters and violent groups on the fringes of the marches, which targeted public buildings, looted luxury stores and supermarkets, and attacked police vehicles. In Limoges, the city hall was set on fire and its roof collapsed; in Marseille, protesters dressed in black forced their way into the city hall; in Lyon, the tourist office was set on fire.
The figures come from the authorities: Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez estimates around 550,000 protesters, while the CGT announces 800,000. The number of arrests ranges from 1,200, cited by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, to at least 1,800 in the following dispatch, including 855 in the Paris region. More than 500 police officers, gendarmes, and firefighters are injured, and one person has died of a heart attack; the Paris prosecutor's office has opened an investigation.
The Korea Times also reports that the police inspection is examining at least two dozen allegations of police violence, including a severed hand during clashes.
On the political side, the articles report the firmness of the executive. Lecornu assures that the government will not be "intimidated" and targets the far left and delinquents, just a few months before next year's presidential election. Emmanuel Macron promises to pursue and punish the perpetrators and denounces the "sowers of chaos". The Korea Times announces an emergency meeting and a televised address on Sunday.
The articles finally put the movement into a broader context: having started in September in high schools in popular suburbs north of Paris, against a backdrop of teacher shortages, it has expanded to grievances over inequalities and public spending. Belgium, Portugal, and Italy have seen more modest rallies.
