Farmers Driving Tractors to Seoul for "Yoon's Arrest" Blocked at Namtaeryeong... Overnight Standoff with Police

Citizens Also Join in Large Numbers... A De Facto Rally Takes Place
Two Detained on Charges of Assaulting Police Officers

Yonhap News

The National Peasants' Federation (Jeonnong), which took to the streets in Seoul demanding the arrest of President Yoon Seok-yeol, continued an overnight standoff with the police. They were blocked by police while attempting to enter Seoul riding tractors and other vehicles.

According to Jeonnong on the 22nd, about 30 tractors from the 'Jeon Bong-jun Struggle Group' and around 50 trucks tried to enter Seoul via Gwacheon-daero around noon the previous day but were stopped by police near Namtaeryeong Hill in Seocho-gu.

The Jeon Bong-jun Struggle Group of the National Peasants' Federation and citizens are confronting the police on the morning of the 22nd at Namtaryeong, Seocho-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Provided by the Emergency Action for Immediate Resignation of Yoon Seok-yeol and Social Reform]

The protesters had departed from various parts of the country since the 16th and held a rally on the 19th in front of the Government Sejong Complex condemning the exercise of the veto power regarding the Grain Management Act, before heading to Seoul.

Initially, Jeonnong planned to march to the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, and the rally site in Gwanghwamun calling for President Yoon's resignation. However, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency issued a 'restriction notice,' citing potential inconvenience due to traffic congestion. The protesters have been engaged in a standoff with police for about 20 hours at the site, with a large number of citizens joining, effectively turning it into a rally.

A Jeonnong official said, "It seems that more than 2,000 people have gathered," adding, "Some stayed overnight to keep watch, and the number of people arriving in the morning is increasing." They are demanding the removal of police barricades, waving light sticks to K-pop music, and shouting slogans such as "Impeach Yoon Seok-yeol."

Meanwhile, severe traffic congestion occurred as police set up barricades to block Jeonnong's entry and controlled both directions of Gwacheon-daero. Physical clashes also occurred, including police pulling out a driver who tried to lift a police bus with a tractor and tractor windows being broken.

The police stated that during this process, two people were detained on charges of assaulting police officers.