Police detain 11 protesters at large-scale trade union rally in downtown Seoul

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Police detain 11 protesters at large-scale trade union rally in downtown Seoul

Published: 10 Nov. 2024, 16:16 Updated: 10 Nov. 2024, 18:42

CHO JUNG-WOO
cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr

Members of the Korea Confederation of Trade Unions rally in downtown Seoul on Saturday holding banners demanding President Yoon Suk Yeol's resignation. [YONHAP]

Police apprehended 11 protesters during a large-scale rally against the Yoon Suk Yeol government in downtown Seoul on Saturday.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, the 11 individuals were taken into custody on charges of obstructing official duties.

The rally, organized by the Korea Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) — one of the country's largest labor unions — took place near Deoksu Palace in Jung District, central Seoul, around 4 p.m. Saturday, spanning across five traffic lanes.

The rally drew some 30,000 attendees, according to police. The KCTU claimed the crowd size was around 100,000.

Some of those apprehended reportedly clashed with police, including incidents of striking a police vehicle's windshield and pushing police officers equipped with shields and barricades.

Police announced they are conducting a thorough investigation and may request formal arrest warrants for those detained.

“We deeply regret that the KCTU’s rally in the downtown area escalated into a serious and illegal protest, including physical assaults on police officers,” the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said in a press release on Saturday.

Participants at the rally held banners demanding Yoon's resignation.

According to police, protesters assaulted officers, illegally occupied Sejong-daero for several hours and refused to comply with orders to disperse. Around 8,000 police officers were deployed to the downtown area for traffic control.

The KCTU released a statement on the same day, accusing the Yoon government of provoking the conflict by “interfering with a peaceful rally.” It also claimed that police used excessive force to detain union members.

“Many union members were taken to hospital with injuries,” the statement said.

According to the union, one member was transported by ambulance with broken ribs, while another member — an elderly woman — suffered from suffocation.

“The government cannot be defended through violence,” the KCTU's statement added.

“We will bring down the Yoon government, which uses violence to suppress the public’s voice.”

In the statement, the union announced plans for two additional rallies, scheduled for Nov. 20 and Dec. 7.

Members of the Federation of Korean Trade Unions rally on Yeoui-daero in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Saturday. [YONHAP]

Multiple rallies took place on Saturday.

Separately, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions held a rally near Yeouido in western Seoul, calling for stronger workplace safety laws and stricter penalties for serious industrial accidents.

Conservative civic groups also gathered near Gwanghwamun in central Seoul, demanding the arrest of liberal Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung.

The protests caused traffic congestion in parts of downtown Seoul.

The average traffic speed in the area was 7.1 kilometers per hour (4.4 miles per hour) as of 5:30 p.m., with a citywide average of 17.8 kilometers per hour, according to the Seoul Transport Operation and Information Service.

Typically, speeds on Saturdays between 5 and 6 p.m. range from 19 to 21 kilometers per hour.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]