Gwangbokjeol Rally 'D-1'... Some Groups 'Proceed' Despite Police Strict Response Policy

316 Assembly Reports in Seoul During Gwangbokjeol Holiday
Some Groups Insist on Proceeding Despite Ban Notice
Police "Strong Response"... Checkpoints Set Up and Traffic Control Planned
Court Rejects Injunction Requests from Some Groups

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] Tensions are rising ahead of the scheduled rallies across Seoul during the Liberation Day holiday. With some groups reportedly planning to proceed with their demonstrations, the police are fully prepared.

According to the police on the 13th, a total of 316 rally notifications from 41 organizations, including the Liberty Solidarity, Ilpamanpa Patriots Federation, and the 615 Joint Declaration Implementation South Side Committee, were received for the period from the 14th to the 16th of the Liberation Day holiday across Seoul. The police have issued bans on these rallies to the respective groups.

The People’s Revolutionary Party, led by Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church, plans to hold the “Moon Jae-in Impeachment 8.15 10 Million One-Person Protest Rally” during the Liberation Day holiday. They intend to conduct the event in the form of a “walking exercise” without filing a separate rally notification. The People’s Revolutionary Party has repeatedly stated that this event does not constitute a rally or protest. They plan to set up party membership booths around Gwanghwamun, hold a press conference alongside member recruitment activities, and carry out the walking exercise by circulating through downtown areas such as Seoul Station, Seoul City Hall, and Donghwa Duty-Free Shop.

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) will hold the “8.15 National Workers’ Rally” on the 14th at 4 p.m. in 13 regions nationwide, including Seoul, Busan, Daejeon, and Gwangju. However, it is expected that a large number of people will not gather in one place, and the event will proceed in the form of one-person protests. In Seoul, participants are expected to gather around the Seodaemun-gu area. Online rallies will also be held concurrently.

Self-employed groups, who have announced plans to continue vehicle protests, intend to refrain from collective actions during the Liberation Day holiday. This decision is based on concerns that the voices of self-employed individuals might be misused as political tools. However, some are encouraging voluntary participation in one-person protests.

The police plan to treat such one-person protests as effectively illegal rallies and will take thorough measures to block them. They have warned that if illegal acts occur on-site, they will arrest offenders on the spot and strongly respond, including prosecuting the executive members who lead the rallies to the fullest extent. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency will set up and operate temporary checkpoints in downtown Seoul for three days. On Liberation Day, the 15th, temporary checkpoints will be expanded to Han River bridges and Seoul entry points, aiming to preemptively block vehicles attending rallies and the import of protest materials. During this period, traffic on roads such as Jongno, Sajik-ro, and Sejong-daero may be controlled depending on the rally situation. Additionally, buses passing through these areas will be encouraged to pass without stopping or take detours.

Meanwhile, the Seoul Administrative Court dismissed the suspension request filed by some conservative groups seeking to halt the police’s ban on the Liberation Day rallies. The court pointed out that during last year’s Liberation Day rally, significantly more people gathered than originally notified by the group, judging that “it is reasonable to be concerned about the recurrence of the same situation.”

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