People from the National Revolutionary Party Blocked and Moved to Tapgol Park
Minnochoeng Holds Solo Protest Demanding 'Stop US-ROK War Exercises'
50s Male Arrested for Assaulting Police
On the 14th, police are blocking participants of the solo walking exercise near Gwanghwamun. [Photo by Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] On the first day of the Liberation Day holiday, August 14, a conservative group's event was held in downtown Seoul as scheduled. Clashes occurred in various places between the conservative group trying to hold the event and the police trying to stop them.
The People’s Revolutionary Party, led by Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church as party leader, started the "Moon Jae-in Impeachment 8.15 10 Million One-Person Walking Campaign" event from 6 a.m. that day.
However, the event, which was supposed to start from Seoul Station and circle around Gwanghwamun, was effectively blocked by the police. Although the group chose to proceed by moving individually, the police blocked entry into the city center with barricades and safety fences. When entry was blocked, People’s Revolutionary Party members walked to Tapgol Park after a scuffle with the police.
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) also held a "One-Person Protest to Stop the ROK-US War Exercises" with about 200 participants around Seoul Station, Seodaemun Station, and Chungjeongno Station from 4 p.m. They held helium balloons with slogans such as "Stop the ROK-US War Exercises" and conducted one-person protests spaced 70 meters apart. Chairman Yang Kyung-soo stated in a video speech, "The Moon Jae-in administration’s inter-Korean relations are worse than the nine years of the Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye administrations," and argued, "Instead of pouring tens of trillions of won of taxpayers’ money into war exercises, it should be spent on the lives of workers and the people."
On the afternoon of the 14th, near the Seoul Museum of History, members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions held helium balloons with the slogan "Stop US-ROK War Exercises" and conducted one-person protests at intervals of about 70 meters toward Seodaemun Station. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Clashes between conservative and progressive group participants were also observed. Around 3 p.m. in front of Jonggak Station, when the progressive protesters unfolded a banner reading "Oppose the ROK-US War Exercises," conservative group members confronted them.
Also, around 9 a.m., the police arrested a man in his 50s on the spot on charges of special obstruction of official duties after he threatened police officers by lifting a safety fence in front of a hotel in Gwanghwamun and assaulted a police officer who tried to stop him.
On that day, the police concentrated barricades and safety fences around the Gwanghwamun intersection. Temporary checkpoints were operated at 81 locations including major bridges over the Han River and downtown areas.
Downtown events by conservative and progressive groups are expected to continue on the 15th and 16th as well.
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