South Korean ex-president Moon blasted with vitriol

PYEONGSAN, South Korea: After five years in South Korea, former president Moon Jae-in moved to a peaceful village far away from Seoul in search of a quiet retirement. Then the protests began.

Every day since his arrival in May, demonstrators in Pyeongsan village have used megaphones to shower him with vitriol over his efforts to engage with North Korea, livestreaming their protests to hundreds of viewers.

Moon is essentially a spy working for North Korea, Choi Jin-bae, a 58-year-old part-time construction worker, told AFP as he used his phone to livestream his protest and chat to fans, many of whom send him donations.

The tiny village, home to around 100 people, has become an unwitting symbol of South Korea's bitter political divide.

It has become a reminder of the dangers of holding high office in a country where every living former president - except Moon -- has been jailed after leaving office.

The protests targeting Moon highlight how social media is transforming political action in South Korea by amplifying demonstrators' voices and allowing them to generate funds to sustain their activities.

Moon praised Pyongyang's engagement, meeting North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un and then US president Donald Trump for talks.

His diplomacy ended up failing, with the North more belligerent than ever.

Moon's attempts at dialogue raged many security hawks and internet commentators like Choi, who claimed that Moon pushed South Korea to the brink of becoming a communist state. Choi said he was a president who worked on behalf of the North, not for our national interest.

Other protesters nearby chanted Commie Moon should be deported to North Korea! Anti-communist military songs were blared by loudspeakers.