KCTU to Proceed with 'National Workers' Rally' Tomorrow... Concerns Over Cluster Infections from Gathering (Comprehensive)

On the 14th of last month, Kim Jae-ha, Emergency Measures Committee Chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, is speaking at the press conference for the launch of the 2020 National People's Rally Preparatory Committee held in the auditorium of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions in Jung-gu, Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] As labor and civil society groups plan to hold a 'National People's Rally' this Saturday (14th), concerns are rising that a mass infection could occur, similar to the surge in COVID-19 cases during the August 15 Liberation Day rally.

According to the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) on the 13th, the KCTU will hold the 'National Workers' Rally to Inherit the Spirit of Martyr Jeon Tae-il's 50th Anniversary' as scheduled at 2 p.m. on the 14th across the country.

The KCTU has held a nationwide workers' rally every November to commemorate the spirit of martyr Jeon Tae-il. In the past, large-scale rallies were held in downtown Seoul, but this year, due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19, small-scale rallies are planned across various locations nationwide.

The KCTU expects about 15,000 union members to participate in the rallies combined in Seoul and other regions. To prevent the spread of COVID-19 during the rallies, the KCTU plans to implement quarantine measures such as temperature checks, mask-wearing, and maintaining a distance of at least 2 meters between individuals. The KCTU emphasized, "The rallies will be conducted according to KCTU's quarantine guidelines, which are stricter than the government's quarantine rules."

Earlier, labor and people's organizations announced preparations for a people's rally involving 100,000 participants in 13 regions nationwide, including Seoul, Busan, and Gwangju. In Seoul, after holding pre-rallies with no more than 99 participants at 30 locations such as the Democratic Party headquarters in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Gongdeok Station in Mapo-gu, and Jeon Tae-il Bridge in Jongno-gu, a main rally with 99 participants is planned at Yeouido Park.

Although the rallies will comply with the quarantine guideline prohibiting gatherings of 100 or more people, the risk of COVID-19 infection remains. It is difficult to precisely control the number of people gathering on-site, and many participants using restaurants, cafes, and public transportation simultaneously could increase the risk of infection. Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun urged, "In a situation where infections have occurred in multiple regions, simultaneous rallies could ignite a large-scale spread," and requested the organizations to reconsider holding the rallies, prioritizing the lives and safety of the people.

A Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency official explained the reason for permitting this people's rally, unlike the refusal of downtown rallies during the August 15 Liberation Day event: "At that time, social distancing level 2 was in effect, but currently level 1 is applied. The nature of this rally is also different," adding, "We plan to deploy personnel to thoroughly manage the rallies." The police asked citizens to use public transportation such as the subway or to detour around major roads like Euljiro, Jahamun-ro, and Yeouidaero in Yeouido, where traffic congestion is expected, to minimize inconvenience.

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