'Gwangbokjeol Rally' Fierce Confrontation... "Ban the Rally" vs. "We Will Walk Against the Car Barricade"

Jeon Gwang-hoon "Will Hold a Walking Contest for 10 Million People"
Oh Se-hoon "Will Report for 'Violation of Infectious Disease Control Act' if Forced"

On the afternoon of August 15 last year, participants of a rally condemning the government and the ruling party, hosted by Sarang Jeil Church and Jayu Yeondae, filled Sejong-daero in front of Donghwa Duty Free Shop in Jongno-gu, Seoul. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] As a large-scale gathering is scheduled in downtown Seoul ahead of Liberation Day, tensions are rising between the organizers and the police and Seoul city officials trying to prevent it.

The People’s Revolutionary Party, led by Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church, held a press conference on the 10th in front of Donghwa Duty-Free Shop in Jongno-gu, Seoul, announcing, "We will hold a 10 million people one-person walking rally from the 14th to the 16th in resistance to the fraudulent quarantine martial law of the Moon Jae-in administration."

They stated, "We will walk around the illegal vehicle barricades," and warned, "If the peaceful walking rally is obstructed, not only individual police officers but also the Commissioner of the National Police Agency, the Commissioner of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, and the heads of the relevant police stations will be immediately criminally charged, and we will hold them accountable to the end through claims for state compensation."

On the other hand, Seoul city and the police, who must prevent further spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), have taken a stance to block the downtown rally at its root, setting a clear confrontation between the two sides.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon is making a statement on Seoul City's position regarding the August 15 rally at Seoul City Hall on the afternoon of the 10th. Photo by Yonhap News

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon said in an online briefing on the 10th, "If illegal rallies are forcibly held during this Liberation Day holiday, the organizers and participants will be reported for violating the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act," adding, "While the freedom of political expression must be guaranteed, if that freedom harms others and threatens the public interest, it sometimes needs to be restricted."

Minister of the Interior and Safety Jeon Hae-cheol also said at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters inspection meeting, "Considering the very serious current situation, we strongly request restraint from holding rallies, and if illegal rallies violating quarantine rules are forcibly held, we will respond strictly according to law and principles."

The police reiterated their firm response policy. In particular, they plan to deploy police forces at expected rally locations to block gatherings from the outset and operate temporary checkpoints to prevent the entry of protest materials.

The police also plan to block 'modified one-person protests.' This targets the '10 million one-person protest rally' announced by the People’s Revolutionary Party, which had previously announced that participants would each hold placards and march from Seoul Station to City Hall to Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.

A police official said, "Courts have consistently ruled that modified one-person protests are illegal demonstrations, and quarantine authorities have also interpreted that prayer meetings and political speeches violate quarantine rules under social distancing level 4."

Meanwhile, according to Seoul city and the police, 41 groups have reported holding a total of 316 rallies in downtown Seoul from the 14th to the 16th. On Liberation Day, the 15th, 38 groups reported 190 rallies.

Seoul city and the police have notified the prohibition of all rallies based on the Assembly and Demonstration Act and the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, and any additional reported rallies will also be banned. Furthermore, during the holiday period, the police plan to block gatherings related to downtown rallies or events and establish temporary checkpoints to completely block the entry of protest materials such as broadcasting equipment.

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