SEOUL– A group of conservative activists pushed ahead with its anti-government street rallies planned in downtown Seoul on Saturday, the eve of Liberation Day, but ran into a watertight blockade by riot police amid authorities’ warning about the further spread of COVID-19.
The conservatives, led by Jun Kwang-hoon, a politically controversial pastor, began a three-day street walking event at Seoul Station at 6 a.m. in defiance of warnings by the government and police, which have said the gatherings are in violation of strict social distancing rules amid the fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
They chose to march individually, instead of in groups, toward the central Seoul district of Gwanghwamun but were virtually restrained by riot police who installed safety fences and checkpoints on streets around Seoul Station, though some minor clashes occurred between rally participants and police officers.
Police also surrounded Gwanghwamun with vehicles and safety fences and installed temporary checkpoints at a total of 81 locations, including major Han River bridges.
In the face of the blockade, activists walked to Tapgol Park, not far from Gwanghwamun, and rallied there while blaming the police for causing a commotion in Gwanghwamun.
Some of the activists were not wearing their masks properly and standing close to each other.
Jun, who organized a massive street rally in Gwanghwamun during last year’s Liberation Day, has vowed to invite 10 million people to join the three-day walking event to celebrate Liberation Day and call for the impeachment of President Moon Jae-in. Monday has been designated as an alternative holiday for Liberation Day, which falls on Sunday this year.
“The police blocked the sidewalks where anyone could walk freely and sealed off most of the subway station exits, completely blocking the free passage of the people,” a rally participant said, vowing to launch a lawsuit against authorities.
One person, identified as a 54-year-old surnamed Park, was arrested by police outside a hotel in Gwanghwamun after assaulting a police officer. A female participant was seen protesting fiercely to police after being restrained near City Hall Station. Jun did not show up at the walking event due to another schedule.
Ordinary citizens vented complaints about being excessively restrained on roads.
“It’s scary to see so many police on the streets. I don’t know how many times I crossed the crosswalks to get to my destination because of excessive police blockade,” said a citizen surnamed Lee.
At checkpoints throughout the downtown areas, police officers stopped passers-by and asked them where they were headed.
When a man told police he had to go to work, he was asked to present an employee ID card.
Traffic congestion was reported on roads excluded from police blockade, as liberal and labor activists were to hold their own street rallies on the occasion of Liberation Day.
Around 3 p.m., liberal activists could be seen near Jonggak Station holding a banner opposing joint military exercises by South Korea and the United States. Conservative activists responded by telling them to “go to North Korea” and the two sides hurled insults at each other.
The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), a militant labor umbrella group, held a series of one-man demonstrations near Seoul Station and two other locations to call for the suspension of the military exercises. The KCTU said around 200 people took part.
Yang Kyung-soo, chief of the KCTU, said in a video message that inter-Korean relations under the Moon administration have been worse than during the two previous administrations of Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye.
“Instead of pouring tens of trillions of won in taxpayer money into war games, (the Moon administration) should spend that money on improving the lives of laborers and the general public,” he said.
A local court on Friday issued an arrest warrant for Yang on charges of holding multiple rallies from May to July in violation of a COVID-19 ban.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum urged people to refrain from traveling or meeting in groups during the Liberation Day holiday, saying new COVID-19 patient numbers have reached new record highs following the summer vacation season.
Source: Yonhap News Agency