The COVID-19 Struck Gwanghwamun Square... A Record of Intense Daily Life

From Early Morning Cleaning Workers to Building Owners at Gwanghwamun Square: A Space for Participatory Democracy Since Its Opening to Citizens in 2009
Large Gatherings Banned After COVID-19... Still a Public Opinion Channel for All Walks of Life
Decline in Tourists and Remote Work Reduce Foot Traffic, Businesses Suffer

[Asia Economy Intern Reporters Daehyun Kim, Seongwon Kim, Junhyeong Park, Junhyeong Lee, Geunhwi Jeon] At 4 a.m., when darkness had not yet lifted, Choi Young-gwan (69), a third-year sanitation worker this year, rides a motorcycle from Yeonsinnae in Eunpyeong-gu toward Gwanghwamun. Choi collects trash at Gwanghwamun Square from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. Having been directly employed by a cleaning company and responsible for street cleaning in Wondang-dong, Goyang City, he recently moved to a subcontracting company due to reduced work caused by the impact of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), making Gwanghwamun Square his new workplace. Working five days a week, his monthly salary after tax is 1.7 million KRW. When met at Gwanghwamun Square on the 4th, Choi said, "If I stay home, what else would I watch but television?" as he busily swept fallen leaves.

Gwanghwamun Square is a 'citizen-centered street' representing the Republic of Korea. Since the 2002 World Cup cheering and the 'mad cow disease candlelight protests' opposing the import of U.S. beef in May 2008, Gwanghwamun Square, which opened on August 1, 2009, has been the site of numerous rallies on various political issues such as the 'Sewol Ferry' and the 'Cho Kuk incident.' It established itself as a political space symbolizing participatory democracy, especially through the candlelight protests that led to the impeachment of the Park Geun-hye administration in 2016, laying the foundation for regime change. After COVID-19 struck, large-scale rallies were suspended, but voices from all walks of life still resonate, and intense daily life continues.

Citizens participating in the candlelight vigil are filling Gwanghwamun Square.

"Gwanghwamun is the heart of the Republic of Korea and the vanguard place that protects law and order. I guard Gwanghwamun with the sense of mission that if it falls, Korea will fall into conflict and chaos."

Police officer Kim Byung-kwan (40), a member of the riot police unit, is a 'late-blooming police officer' who passed the police exam last year. After trying various jobs, he decided to become a police officer at 36 and began studying. Officer Kim guards in front of the U.S. Embassy every morning and is deployed to rallies and protests held at Gwanghwamun Square from time to time. He cited the October 3rd National Foundation Day rally led by conservative groups last year and this year's Liberation Day rally as the most impressive duties. Working in Gwanghwamun, where there is heavy foot traffic, he said he enjoys 'people watching.' He said, "My work is important because rights guaranteed by the constitution must be protected within the framework of law and order," adding, "Gwanghwamun is an important place in Korea, but it is also very precious to me."

◆ Raising voices again today = At 6:30 a.m., before sunrise, behind the statue of King Sejong at Gwanghwamun Square, opposing claims were already clashing. Jeon Mi-jin (24, pseudonym), a member of the Minjung Democratic Party, held a placard saying 'Withdraw U.S. Forces from Korea' and conducted a one-person protest facing the U.S. Embassy. She said, "I participate during breaks as a working person," and "Because Korea must break free from U.S. influence to achieve true independence, I have been protesting 24 hours a day for 1,135 days." Just 5 meters away, Baek Isaak (65) of the Liberty Solidarity was conducting a YouTube live broadcast. He said, "I have been protesting for 211 days because I believe the Korea-U.S. alliance is more than an alliance; it is a blood alliance," emphasizing, "Whether left or right, any citizen who loves the country should be able to come to the square and express their opinions." The broadcast equipment, made by linking three smartphones, showed a real-time viewer count of '11' on the screen.

On the day the U.S. presidential election vote counting began, seven elderly men with white hair gathered in front of the Admiral Yi Sun-sin statue in Sejong-ro, unfurling a large banner that read 'TRUMP KEEP 2020,' claiming the election of President Donald Trump. They sharply said, "Trump must be re-elected for President Moon Jae-in to step down," and "Go watch the Garosero Research Institute first." Son Sil-gyeong (71), a Vietnam War veteran, was also at the same location, urging "Compensation for unpaid benefits to Vietnam War veterans for 30 years," lamenting, "Thousands of veterans receive treatment at hospitals every day, but others live peacefully, which is somewhat unfair." Office workers heading to lunch ignored him indifferently. Around the same time, in front of the Seoul Government Complex, the JT Savings Bank labor union shouted slogans opposing the company's sale to a private equity fund, saying, "Workers unite to stop capital flight."

◆ Seoul's representative tourist spot, someone's humble living space = Seoul recorded the coldest weather this fall, with temperatures dropping to minus 1 degree Celsius that day. From early morning, office workers in Gwanghwamun hurried to work. Kim Woo-young (52, pseudonym), a government official met at the Gwanghwamun intersection crosswalk, looked exhausted from working from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. due to increased overtime caused by COVID-19. He said, "I focus on physical fitness after work." Samantha (35), an American English instructor, headed to a CrossFit gym early in the morning. Although her work starts at 3 p.m., she began her day early for exercise. Lee (23), preparing for the tax accountant exam, carrying two rolls of gimbap and coffee in both hands, headed to an academy, and nurse assistant Yoon Jae-woong (28), working at a health screening center near Gwanghwamun, smoked a cigarette before work. Yoon said, "I feel frustrated because I can't travel due to COVID-19," adding, "Studying songwriting after work is my life's joy."

Gwanghwamun Square has long been a popular spot frequently visited by foreigners and tourists. Although foreign tourists have stopped coming due to the global pandemic, tourists are still occasionally seen at Gyeongbokgung Palace and Gwanghwamun Square, which represent Korea. Estra (25), a flight attendant for Turkish Airlines, took a group photo with colleagues in front of the King Sejong statue, smiling brightly, saying, "King Sejong is a figure I saw on banknotes," and "The mountain behind Gyeongbokgung Palace is also beautiful." Lee Yong-yeop (42, from Sejong City) also visited with his elementary school son to teach him about the 'great king of Joseon' and participatory democracy through rallies. Yu Jae-hoon (pseudonym, 53, resident of Bundang), who introduced himself as an amateur photographer, said, "My main job is CEO of an engineering company," and "My hobby is going outdoors to take photos when the weather is nice." He said, "Today, I am capturing the deepening autumn like the eaves of Deoksugung Palace and the autumn leaves," and even took a photo of the reporter sitting on the stairs of Gwanghwamun Station with a laptop open.

◆ COVID-19, collapsed commercial district = After lunch, office workers in the Gwanghwamun area were seen heading to large franchise coffee shops in small groups or smoking between buildings. A drama was being filmed in front of Exit 7 of Gwanghwamun Station, and office workers who finished lunch watched it briefly before returning to work.

Although foot traffic was abundant, the commercial district near Gwanghwamun Square was virtually devastated after COVID-19. Since the beginning of the pandemic earlier this year, foreign tourists have completely disappeared, and the August Liberation Day rally became a catalyst for the resurgence of COVID-19, pushing stores into a state of temporary closure. Kang Jin-soo (pseudonym), who runs a hanbok rental shop near Gyeongbokgung Station, received his first customer at 3 p.m. that day. He said, "Around this time last year, about 20 rentals were made daily, but now it is barely one a day," adding, "I am considering closing down." S Snack Bar, located in an office building near Gwanghwamun Square, saw its average daily sales drop from 500,000 KRW last year to less than 200,000 KRW this year. The owner said, "It feels like the country is going to ruin." Han Seok-jin, who runs a laundry, said, "This is the worst in 30 years," lamenting, "I have to make a living, but I only pay a lot of taxes; the world is in chaos."

Many office buildings around Gwanghwamun displayed 'For Rent' signs on vacant stores. Especially hanbok rental shops catering to tourists have closed about ten locations this year, according to merchants. Having entered Gwanghwamun as the political and economic center 30 years ago, they said, "The economic contraction due to COVID-19 is severe," adding, "We temporarily reduced rent by 10-15% twice this year, but the national economy is generally down, so the future is a bigger problem."

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