'Hangul Day Rally' Also Met with Strong Response... Downtown Subway Skips Stops, City Buses Diverted

Seoul City Files Complaints and Claims Damages Against Assembly Organizers and Participants Based on On-Site Evidence Collection

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] On Hangul Day, the 9th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will take a firm stance against groups forcibly holding illegal assemblies in major downtown areas of Seoul by thoroughly documenting the scenes and filing complaints. If participants gather in large numbers, trains will pass through subway stations near Gwanghwamun without stopping, and city bus operations will be controlled to 'completely block' the assemblies.

The city announced that on the 8th, a day before, it issued a 'ban on assemblies' for groups that reported assemblies in downtown Seoul. Since the number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) has been increasing in double digits daily after the recent Chuseok holiday and the National Foundation Day holiday, the Seoul city government believes such measures are inevitable to prevent further spread and ensure safety.

There were a total of 68 assembly reports for groups of 10 or more received by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on that day, including conservative groups such as the 8.15 Citizens Emergency Committee, which led the National Foundation Day assemblies on the 3rd. Some of these groups filed for suspension of execution in objection to the ban on Hangul Day assemblies, but the court did not accept their requests.

The city plans to jointly respond with the police to completely block all types of assemblies, as all are considered illegal. Park Yu-mi, Seoul’s Quarantine Control Officer (Director of the Citizen Health Bureau), emphasized, "We will thoroughly document the scenes during the assemblies and file complaints against the organizers and participants of illegal assemblies. If confirmed cases occur, we also plan to pursue claims for damages."

The city will also enforce illegal parking and stopping regulations at assembly sites. If crowds gather, the city is considering having trains pass without stopping and closing entrances at four subway stations near Gwanghwamun, including City Hall Station (Lines 1 and 2), Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3), and Gwanghwamun Station (Line 5).

Additionally, 57 city bus routes operating in downtown may temporarily detour depending on police traffic control. During the recent National Foundation Day, bus operations were temporarily suspended on sections from Gwanghwamun Square to Sejong-daero Intersection and City Hall.

Officer Park urged, "While the freedom to assemble is important, these unavoidable measures are for the protection of citizens’ lives, safety, and COVID-19 prevention. We ask citizens to participate in quarantine efforts by refraining from traveling in downtown Seoul as much as possible."

The police also plan to install barricades and police lines on the day to minimize contact between protesters, police, and citizens, as illegal assembly attempts continue amid the risk of infectious disease spread. However, considering that barricades cause some inconvenience to traffic and affect local businesses, the sections where barricades will be installed are expected to be somewhat reduced compared to the National Foundation Day assemblies.

Seoul city views the situation as high risk for COVID-19 transmission, noting that 30 new confirmed cases occurred in Seoul on the 7th, and the effects of movement and gatherings during the recent Chuseok holiday still remain.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.