KCTU Proceeds with Yeouido Rally... Ends Without Major Clashes

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) went ahead with its planned rally on the 4th in the Yeouido area of Seoul. Although the police intervened to control the rally, preventing a large-scale gathering, confrontations occurred between police and protesters in various locations.

From the morning of the day, the police deployed 181 police units around Yeouido, using vehicle barriers and safety fences to block the assembly of protesters. The police blocked and turned back 10 buses and 19 broadcast vehicles coming to Seoul, and carried out dispersal procedures at 14 locations. Checkpoints were also set up on major roads leading into Yeouido, preventing a large number of people from gathering in one place.

Seven organizations under the KCTU, including the Public Transport Workers' Union, planned to hold rallies with about 1,000 participants at 23 locations around Yeouido from the morning. They intended to hold dispersed rallies with fewer than 10 people, demanding the enactment of the Serious Accident Punishment Act and amendments to the Labor Standards Act and Trade Union Act.

Although there was no large-scale gathering, some union members gathered around tents set up in an open space on Uisadang-daero in front of the National Assembly and moved locations upon police requests for dispersal. Near Yeouido Park, they held surprise protests by standing in a single line, maintaining distance, each holding placards reading "Stop the Union-Busting Law" on nearby roads.

The police also requested dispersal for these protests, but clashes occurred as the protesters insisted they were holding one-person protests. During this process, one protester assaulted a police officer and was arrested on charges of obstructing official duties and taken into custody.

Earlier, the Seoul Metropolitan Government banned all rallies by the KCTU and affiliated unions in the Yeouido area from the 4th to the 9th due to the recent surge in COVID-19 cases. The police also announced they would respond strictly to any forced rallies to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

In response, the KCTU issued a statement saying, "Despite the labor reform crisis, the KCTU has calmly complied with quarantine guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19," and criticized, "The Seoul city government is trying to blame the KCTU for the failure of quarantine measures amid repeated small group infections."

The KCTU claimed, "The authorities are deliberately inflating the number of people reported for the rally and even lying about plans for large-scale gatherings that were never intended." They stated that in accordance with Seoul's quarantine guidelines banning gatherings of more than 10 people, only small-scale rallies with about 9 participants were planned at each location.

The police plan to conduct internal investigations into illegal acts such as violations of the Assembly and Demonstration Act and the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act that occurred during the rallies, analyze evidence, and strictly punish those involved.

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