"Begging for Help Like That"... Self-Employed People Take to the Streets by Car

In the early morning of the 15th, members of the National Self-Employed Emergency Committee held a one-person car protest with hazard lights on around Marronnier Park in Jongno-gu, Seoul, opposing the government's 'Level 4 Social Distancing Measures.' [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] Self-employed workers held a nighttime vehicle protest on the 15th to oppose the government's quarantine policies.

The National Emergency Countermeasures Committee for Self-Employed Workers Responding to COVID-19, which consists of self-employed groups from various industries, held a press conference near Yeouido Park in Seoul around 11:30 p.m. the previous day, then conducted individual vehicle protests across downtown Seoul for about an hour.

The committee initially planned a vehicle protest involving about 500 cars around Gwanghwamun and Seoul City Hall, but as police set up checkpoints in various locations making gathering difficult, they changed the assembly point to near Hyehwa Station. Vehicles arriving first turned on their hazard lights and formed a procession to conduct the protests individually.

Due to the checkpoints, traffic congestion occurred in various places near the assembly point. Although a large-scale gathering did not occur, sporadic vehicle protest processions continued around Hyehwa Station until 1 a.m. Some participants sounded their horns with an 'SOS signal' to express a plea to save the self-employed. There were no major clashes between the protesters and the police.

Before the vehicle protest, the committee held a press conference near Yeouido Park around 11:30 p.m. the previous day, continuing to criticize the government's quarantine policies. Kim Ki-hong, co-representative of the National Emergency Countermeasures Committee for Self-Employed Workers, said, "For one and a half years, the government has only told the self-employed to wait and forced sacrifices," adding, "We begged desperately to be saved, but the government still has not even engaged in dialogue." He also demanded easing of quarantine rules and prompt retroactive application of compensation for losses.

Earlier, the police had declared these groups' late-night vehicle protests as unreported illegal demonstrations and announced a strict response policy. They also stated they would conduct a thorough investigation into any illegal acts occurring during the vehicle protests.

Meanwhile, the committee plans to hold similar vehicle protests starting at midnight on the same day. On the 16th, after a press conference near the Government Seoul Office, they plan to conduct a third vehicle protest.