Tomorrow (13th) 10,000 Participants in Gwanghwamun Area
Police Announce "Complete Blockade of Illegal Gatherings"
Members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) held the "10·20 KCTU General Strike Rally" at the Seodaemun Station intersection in Seoul on the 20th of last month, urging the "abolition of discrimination against workplaces with fewer than five employees, the elimination of irregular employment, and the securing of union activity rights for all workers." Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@
[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) will hold a rally with 10,000 union members participating in the Gwanghwamun area of Jongno-gu, Seoul, starting at 2 p.m. on the 13th. This is the first large-scale downtown rally since the With Corona policy, raising concerns about weekend traffic congestion and quarantine risks.
The KCTU has reported a nationwide workers' rally to commemorate the spirit of labor activist Jeon Tae-il and to guarantee workers' rights. According to the revised quarantine guidelines, the rally will be divided into 20 groups, each with 499 participants spaced 70 meters apart. The police and Seoul city view this as a loophole and effectively classify it as a single rally.
On the morning of the 12th, the National Police Agency stated, "We plan to block illegal rallies from the gathering stage," adding, "If the KCTU suddenly gathers outside the police cordon and forcibly holds an illegal rally violating quarantine rules, we will proceed with dispersal procedures according to law and principles." The police have decided to strictly respond with on-site arrests to violent acts that cause physical clashes. They are also investigating the large-scale rally held on the 20th of last month, organized by the KCTU, which reportedly had about 24,000 participants (according to the organizers). Professor Cheon Eun-mi of the Respiratory Medicine Department at Ewha Mokdong Hospital said, "Before With Corona, only a few participated in rallies and protests or underwent diagnostic tests, paying close attention to quarantine, but recently the quarantine rules have loosened. Since participants not only attend rallies but also talk and eat together, it is easy to get infected."
The KCTU argues that there is no problem with the rally, comparing it to a baseball stadium gathering of tens of thousands. The KCTU stated, "What is the difference between autumn baseball games held outdoors and rallies? Are tens of thousands in a baseball stadium safe, while workers gathered in squares and streets still considered dangerous? Are rallies and protests still uneasy and disrespectful acts?" On the 10th, more than 20,000 spectators gathered at the professional baseball playoff Game 2 held at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul.
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