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Trump opponents, supporters rally in Gyeongju as U.S. president arrives in city

Published: 29 Oct. 2025, 15:42 Updated: 29 Oct. 2025, 18:51

A total of 37 progressive groups, including the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, hold a press conference on a roadside in Dongcheon-dong, Gyeongju, on Oct. 29. [KIM JUNG-SEOK]

GYEONGJU, North Gyeongsang — As heads of state, including U.S. President Donald Trump, begin arriving in Korea for the 2025 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, rallies by various civic groups have been unfolding across the host city of Gyeongju.

On Wednesday, the day of Trump’s arrival, a total of 28 rallies were reported in Gyeongju, including large-scale pro- and anti-Trump demonstrations.

At 11 a.m. Wednesday, 37 progressive groups — including the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) — held a press conference on a roadside in Dongcheon-dong, Gyeongju, under the banner of the “International People’s Action Against the 2025 APEC.”

The coalition criticized Trump’s policies and denounced his presence at the summit.

A total of 37 progressive groups, including the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, hold a press conference on a roadside in Dongcheon-dong, Gyeongju, on Oct. 29. [KIM JUNG-SEOK]

Progressive groups: ‘APEC is Trump’s party’

“Although Trump has come to Korea, he’s not attending the APEC leaders’ summit,” the progressive groups said in a joint statement. “Instead, he plans to take part in the CEO summit and hold separate summits with Korean and Chinese leaders. His schedule is entirely focused on advancing his hegemonic agenda.”

“While APEC covers a wide range of issues, all the attention has been hijacked by Trump’s economic and trade wars,” the statement added. “The 2025 APEC in Gyeongju will start and end as a Trump show. APEC has turned into a stage for a Trump one-man performance.”

“As we saw from his meeting with Japan’s new prime minister yesterday, Trump is traveling the world selling weapons and pressuring countries to raise defense spending to 5 percent of GDP,” said Kim Jong-min, policy director at the International Strategy Center, at the press conference.

Before the press conference, the group staged a performance in which a man wearing a Trump mask and bound in rope had red signs reading “Trump Out” and “No to tariff-based economic plunder” pasted on him.

Protesters run toward the APEC summit venue, breaking a police cordon, near the National Gyeongju Museum in Gyeongju, on Oct. 29. [YONHAP]

Conservatives: 'Welcome, President Trump'

Around 1 p.m., the Hwandonghae Patriotic Citizens’ Coalition held a “Welcome Rally for U.S. President Trump’s Visit to Gyeongju APEC” at Naenam Intersection in Hwangnam-dong, Gyeongju.

Waving both Korean and American flags, participants chanted, “Long live Trump, long live the USA, long live the Republic of Korea.”

“Trump didn’t just come to Korea — he’s here to help rebuild collapsed liberal democracy,” said one attendee at the rally.

The rally also featured repeated praise for former President Yoon Suk Yeol and criticism of current President Lee Jae Myung.

Some bystanders were seen cursing at rally participants, prompting police to step in. No major confrontations occurred.

The Hwandonghae Patriotic Citizens’ Coalition hold a rally welcoming U.S. President Donald Trump at Naenam Intersection in Hwangnam-dong, Gyeongju, on Oct. 29. [KIM JUNG-SEOK]

More rallies throughout the day

Rallies and marches by civic groups are expected to continue until late in the afternoon.

Progressive groups, including the KCTU, planned a 3,000-person march starting at 3 p.m. from the square in front of the decommissioned Gyeongju Station in Seongdong-dong. The protest is expected to focus on opposition to Trump’s reported demand for a $350 billion investment from the Korean government.

Roughly 600 meters (656 yards) away, the conservative group “Free University” has announced a 1,000-person rally at Bonghwangdae Square in Nodong-dong.

The group has previously supported Yoon during impeachment proceedings and endorsed claims of election fraud against the Lee administration, suggesting the rally may also carry anti-government themes.

As the APEC enters its latter stages, civic protests are intensifying. Police have deployed about 8,000 officers across Gyeongju to ensure security.

Mobile police units have been stationed to prevent potential incidents or terror threats. Authorities have warned they will respond swiftly if rallies deviate from pre-approved locations or routes.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM JUNG-SEOK [[email protected]]