8000 Members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Stage Surprise Protest at Jongno Police Station in Seoul

Members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions held a National Workers' Rally in Jongno 3-ga on the afternoon of the 3rd. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Buaeri] The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) launched a surprise protest on the 3rd despite police attempts to block their gathering.

At around 1 p.m. that day, the KCTU notified its members that "entry to Yeouidaero is difficult, so the location is urgently changed," and gathered them at Jongno at 2 p.m.

As crowds gathered on the sidewalk near exits 1 and 2 of Jongno 3-ga Station on Line 1, KCTU members began moving onto the road. With no police barricades or fences installed, buses and crowds became entangled, creating chaos.

According to KCTU’s own estimate, 8,000 members chanted slogans such as "Abolish irregular employment," "Stop restructuring," and "Raise the minimum wage," while singing "March for the Beloved."

Most wore masks, but social distancing was not adequately maintained.

At around 2:40 p.m., the KCTU occupied 4 to 6 lanes from the Jongno 2-ga intersection to the Jongno 3-ga intersection and held a nationwide workers’ rally led by Secretary-General Jeon Jong-deok.

As of 2:50 p.m., no physical clashes had occurred, but tension was rising as police issued multiple dispersal orders.

The police deployed 213 units that day, operating 59 temporary checkpoints in triple layers across the city center and Han River bridges, entering a heightened state of alert.

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