On the afternoon of the 11th, the two major labor unions held large-scale rallies in the Seodaemun and Yeouido areas of Seoul to condemn the government's labor policies and urge the immediate promulgation and implementation of the 'Yellow Envelope Act' (Amendment to the Labor Union and Labor Relations Act). The organizers estimated a total of 110,000 participants across both rallies.
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) held a nationwide workers' rally around 2 p.m. between Seodaemun Station in Seodaemun-gu and Dongnimmun Station in Jongno-gu, under the slogan "1.2 Million Ttaeil’s Counterattack! Let's Open the Resignation Plaza!" on the 53rd anniversary of the martyr Jeon Tae-il.
Five lanes toward Seoul Station and two lanes toward Dongnimmun were occupied, with approximately 50,000 attendees estimated by the organizers as of 2:30 p.m. They urged President Yoon Suk-yeol to immediately promulgate and implement the Yellow Envelope Act, which was passed by the National Assembly led by opposition parties on the 9th. Yoon Jang-hyuk, chairman of the Metal Workers' Union, emphasized, "We cannot leave a barbaric society to our children. To break the vicious cycle, Articles 2 and 3 of the Labor Union Act must be amended."
Yang Hoe-seon, the elder brother of the late Yang Hoe-dong (50), a KCTU Construction Union official who self-immolated and died before his pretrial detention hearing in May, said, "The police, who should apply public authority fairly, even offered special promotions and did not hesitate to conduct rabbit-hunting style investigations against workers," and added, "Please help remove the obstacles that threaten workers' legitimate rights." Bang Hee-woon, daughter of the late taxi driver Bang Young-hwan, who also self-immolated demanding the full implementation of the taxi drivers' fixed salary system, said, "Please help let many people know that my father's struggle was a truly just fight." The KCTU began marching around 4 p.m. in four groups toward the War Memorial near the Yongsan Presidential Office and the Employment and Labor Office in Jung-gu.
The Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) held a 'Workers' Rally' around 1 p.m. in the Yeouido-daero area of Yeongdeungpo-gu, with an estimated 60,000 participants according to the organizers. The rally took place while controlling 3 to 6 lanes from Park One Tower to Seoul Bridge on Yeouido-daero. They stated, "The reality of the labor reform touted by the administration is a return to long hours of low-wage labor, a deterioration of the wage system and public pension system, and a labor reform that risks workers' lives," and declared, "We will carry out a strong struggle against the government to achieve labor and livelihood legislation."
Kim Min-jae, chairman of the Metal Workers' Federation, pointed out, "President Yoon is expected to exercise his veto power against the amendment to Articles 2 and 3 of the Labor Union Act passed by the National Assembly," and said, "The amendment to Articles 2 and 3 of the Labor Union Act, which will prevent the 'damage compensation provisional seizure bomb' that drove many workers to death and ensure that the real employer participates in negotiations, must be achieved."
On the day, the police deployed about 9,000 officers from 150 riot squads to the rallies of the two major labor unions and civil society groups in the city center. Although the police announced a strict response to illegal acts such as occupying lanes beyond the reported area and assaulting officers, there were no notable clashes or dispersal warnings during the rallies. However, significant traffic congestion occurred in downtown Seoul.
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