On the First Day of the Liberation Day Holiday, Rallies and Marches Take Place Across Downtown Seoul... Severe Traffic Congestion

"Call to Halt ROK-US Drills"... March from Sungnyemun to Yongsan Presidential Office
Urban Vehicle Speed 15.6 km/h... Seoul Overall Vehicle Speed 20.9 km/h

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] On the first day of the Liberation Day holiday, the 13th, large and small rallies were held throughout downtown Seoul.

The "77th Anniversary of Liberation 8.15 Autonomous Peaceful Unification Rally Promotion Committee" (Promotion Committee) held the "8.15 Autonomous Peaceful Unification Rally" around 2:30 PM in front of Sungnyemun Gate in Jung-gu, Seoul, urging to "Stop the ROK-US joint military exercises."

The Promotion Committee stated, "The ROK-US joint military exercises are the main culprit in escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula," and argued, "The milestone for peace and unification between the South and North lies in the inter-Korean joint declaration agreements, and the normalization of North Korea-US relations must start with the implementation of the 2018 North Korea-US joint statement."

At the rally, Lee Hong-jung, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK), said, "If we want peace on the Korean Peninsula, a series of processes are necessary, including the suspension of ROK-US joint military cooperation, lifting sanctions against North Korea, declaration of the end of the war, signing of a peace agreement, guaranteeing the North Korean regime, and establishing diplomatic relations between North Korea and the US."

After the rally, participants began marching from around 3:30 PM, using four lanes, passing through Seoul Station and heading toward Samgakji area near the Yongsan Presidential Office.

As a result, severe traffic congestion continued throughout downtown Seoul. As of 3:50 PM that day, the average vehicle speed in the city center was 15.6 km/h. The overall speed across Seoul was 20.9 km/h, moving slowly.

To manage the rally, the police deployed a total of 56 units with about 4,000 personnel.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Prior to the main rally, various small and large preliminary rallies were also held throughout downtown Seoul.

Labor organizations such as the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU), and the Korean Federation of Metal Workers' Unions held a resolution rally for the three North-South labor organizations in front of the ROK-US Combined Forces Command in Yongsan-gu in the morning, while the National People's Action gathered in front of Seoul City Hall to protest against the ROK-US joint war exercises.

Additionally, the Peaceful Unification Citizens' Conference held the 8.15 Peaceful Unification Citizens' Rally in front of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Progressive Party and the National Women's Solidarity also held rallies near City Hall Station and Seoul Station.

The KCTU also held the 8.15 National Workers' Rally for about 30 minutes at the same location before the main 8.15 Autonomous Peaceful Unification Rally.

Several rallies were also held in the Jongno-gu area ahead of Liberation Day. Around 2 PM, Heungsadan held a press conference in front of the Japanese Embassy in Jongno-gu, demanding the immediate abolition of "Takeshima Day" and textbooks distorting the history of Dokdo, official apologies and legal compensation for victims of the Japanese military sexual slavery system, and opposition to ROK-US-Japan military cooperation, stating, "Although we welcomed liberation in 1945, issues of colonialism and Japan's historical distortion remain unresolved."