After 26,000 people marched to Samgakji, it ended in 6 hours… No major clashes with the police
Exceeding the noise standard for sound equipment… Police investigation scheduled
On the 2nd, a large-scale rally was held in downtown Seoul with about 50,000 people participating in the ‘steaming heat’ as a heat wave warning went into effect for most of the country on the 2nd.
According to the labor community, the National Federation of Democratic Trade Unions (KCTU) held the ‘July 2nd National Workers’ Congress’ in the Jung-gu area of Seoul on the afternoon of the same day.
The rally was the first large-scale rally led by the KCTU since the inauguration of the Yun Seok-Yeol government.
From around 12 noon, the public transport union, construction union, and service federation, which are affiliated organizations of the KCTU, held a pre-assembly in the Eulji-ro area. They gathered around Sejong-daero and started the main assembly.
At the main rally, the participants demanded a halt to the retreat of wages and working hours, the abolition of non-regular workers, and the achievement of non-discriminatory labor rights.
Yang Kyung-soo, chairman of the KCTU, exclaimed, “Our struggle is hope,” saying, “Daewoo Shipbuilding’s subcontractor workers have received a 30% cut in wages, and workers who have lost their jobs are risking their lives on delivery motorcycles.
Around 3 pm when the rally was held, the sensible temperature in Jung-gu, Seoul soared to 33.5 degrees.
The union members who participated in the rally in the heat wave each wore wide-brimmed hats and drank ice water while covering their faces and necks with the towels provided by the organizers.
Most of them looked like they had a hard time in the heat, but they didn’t put up the picket in their hand and said, “I can’t live without the price skyrocketing.
The Yoon Seok-yeol government took responsibility,” “workers are dying,” and “stop labor reform.”
The Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) started marching in the direction of the triangle at 4:30 pm.
About 26,000 union members marched in three lanes (excluding bus lanes), dividing the routes into ▲ Sungnyemun – Seoul Station – Samgakji ▲ Daehanmun – Seoul Station – Samgakji ▲ Seoul Plaza – Seoul Station – Samgakji.
As general vehicles moved together through the bus lane, severe traffic congestion continued.
According to the police, traffic congestion was particularly severe in the directions from Seoul City Hall to Samgakji, Seodaemun to Gwanghwamun, and Sejongro to Jongno.
Around 5 pm, when the march was in full swing, the intersection of Sook University Station (Subway Line 4) was chaotic with pedestrians, marchers, and motorcycles entangled with ordinary citizens.
In the vicinity of Seoul Station, citizens were also seen running after getting out of taxis.
When the march was blocked, the deliverymen got off their motorcycles and dragged their vehicles across the road.
Some citizens expressed dissatisfaction with the noise from the loudspeakers of marching rally vehicles.
When the slogan, “What do you mean by tax cuts for the rich!” came out through the speaker, Kim Chil-yeon (63), who runs a shoe store on a nearby roadside, made an impression and covered her ears.
Kim said, “I respect the orderly march with hand signs, but it’s frankly annoying to play speakers so loudly,” he said.
As a result of the police check, it was found that the noise level of the sound equipment used by the public transport union and others on that day exceeded the standard.
The Namdaemun Police Station decided to issue an order to stop the noise to the organizers and notify the Investigation Division of related data.
Police estimated that about 19,000 people had arrived in the Samgak region, the destination.
When the KCTU announced the official end of the march near the Samgak area at 5:45 pm, all the protesters dispersed.
It had been about 6 hours since the pre-assembly started around 12 noon.
It was found that there were no major clashes between the police and the participants during the rally.
No one was taken into custody by the police.
Earlier, the police strengthened security around Seoul Plaza, Sungnyemun, Seoul Station, and Samgakji in preparation for clashes with protesters.
A total of 120 police units were mobilized on that day, and a total of more than 10,000 personnel were mobilized.
After the rally and march, the traffic congestion was somewhat resolved.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the speed of vehicles in downtown Seoul is 17.7 km/h as of 7:00 pm.
The average speed in Seoul is 22.0 km/h.
On this day, in addition to the National Workers’ Congress of the KCTU, large and small rallies were held simultaneously in various places in Seoul.
The National People’s Action held a rally in India at Bosingak, Jongno-gu from around 2 pm to urge the government to stabilize prices and guarantee the minimum wage.
The Voice of Seoul (Voice of Seoul) resumed the ‘Fighting Rally’ in front of President Yoon’s house in Acro Vista in Seocho-dong at 11 a.m. on the same day after President Yoon Seok-yeol returned from his overseas tour and returned to Korea the day before.
/yunhap news
