Conservative Groups Persist with 3·1 Movement Downtown Rally in Rain... Police Tighten Security Measures

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] On March 1st, Independence Movement Day, conservative groups held rallies across Seoul. Most were small-scale and did not result in major clashes, but some venues saw crowds gathering, prompting the Seoul Metropolitan Government and police to remain vigilant.

The Liberty Korea Patriotic Corps, which received court permission for up to 20 participants, held a rally with about 10 people around 11 a.m. in front of Gwanghwamun in Seoul. They held signs reading "Do not suppress the freedom of assembly and association" and maintained distance from each other, conducting a press conference-style event for nearly an hour before dispersing.

Near Gangnam Station in Seoul, 5 to 6 participants held a picket protest while keeping distance, and near Yeongdeungpo Station, fewer than 9 people spaced apart held signs with the Taegeukgi and slogans condemning the government.

At some locations, rallies were reported but participants did not show up. However, around 2 p.m., members and officials of the Our Republican Party held an event in front of the Bank of Korea in Seoul, attracting a crowd for a time. Inside the police fence, fewer than 9 people gathered as previously reported, but nearly 100 spectators and passersby watched the rally from outside the fence.

According to health authorities, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency deployed about 7,000 officers across 118 police units throughout Seoul to prepare for any emergencies. Fences were installed at Gwanghwamun Square the day before, and police officers were stationed at major urban facilities and alleys near the square. Police buses were on standby near Gwanghwamun Square, the Government Seoul Office, Gyeongbokgung Station, the Seoul Museum of History, and Jongno Fire Station. To prepare for vehicle protests, vehicle inspections are being conducted at about 30 city entry points.

The reason for the heightened tension by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and police is the rapid spread of COVID-19 infections following last year’s nationwide rally on Liberation Day. At that time, health authorities and police banned most urban rallies, but the court permitted a conservative group’s rally of 100 people in front of Dongwha Duty Free Shop in Jongno-gu, which attracted thousands of participants and eventually grew into a large-scale urban rally with over 10,000 people.

This time, Seoul and the police prohibited rallies in urban areas or those with more than 10 participants, but the Seoul Administrative Court conditionally approved rallies such as the Liberty Korea Patriotic Corps’ in front of Gwanghwamun, limiting participants to 20 to 30 people. The police are flexibly responding by setting up fences according to the number of participants on site, as the limit is 9 people even outside the prohibited rally zones.

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