Police set up barricades of busses in Gwanghwamun to blockade the rally to mark the general strike organised by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) on 20 October 2021, creating traffic jams in downtown Seoul.
The government had mobilised a total of 12,000 police officers to stop the rally from taking place. It had not given its approval for the rally, claiming it would undermine measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
The KCTU countered those claims, saying: “During the rally by the KCTU on 3 July, thousands of spectators sat in the seats of baseball and soccer arenas, and concerts with thousands in attendance were allowed to happen indoors. Even politicians were able to address crowds of thousands of people. Only outdoor rallies have been effectively banned.”
KCTU members switched locations to Namdaemun, Jonggak, and Seosomun in Seoul, holding blitz rallies across the city. According to the national centre, about 550,000 workers in cities and rural areas participated in the strike.
The strikers were demanding labour-law reform to give fundamental trade union rights to all workers; the abolition of precarious work; a just transition based on social dialogue that includes workers’ voices, with guaranteed employment during times of crisis and transition; stronger public services; and for the state to take more responsibility for jobs and care. They were also calling for the release of the KCTU president, Yang Kyeung-soo, arrested on 2 September for organising the protest rally on 3 July.
South Korea ranks third highest in annual working hours and in 2015 had the third highest number of workplace deaths among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member countries. Over 40 per cent of all workers in South Korea are irregular employees, with a growing number in the gig economy and with no guaranteed income.
