South Korean protesters plan to hold another rally in two weeks after tens of thousands took to the streets of Seoul on Saturday to protest against South Korean President Park Geun-hye’s plan to reform the labor market and adopt a state-approved history textbook for high schools.
The demonstrations are to be held in 16 cities across the nation on Dec. 19, Korea Alliance for Progressive Movement chairman Joo Je-jun said by telephone yesterday. About 50,000 people from about 1,000 groups, including civic organizations and labor unions, on Saturday rallied to urge the government to tackle the problems of unemployment and soaring rice prices, and to oppose a plan allowing greater leeway to employers to fire workers, he said.
The police’s estimate of the number of people at Saturday’s rally was markedly lower than Joo’s. About 14,000 people marched peacefully through the city center, a police officer at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, who asked not to be identified, said by telephone.
Photo: Reuters
A farmer remains in critical condition after suffering a stroke when he was knocked down by a police water cannon during a rally on Nov. 14, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions said on their Web site.
A Seoul court on Thursday ruled that Saturday’s rally could go ahead, after police tried to ban the protest.
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