Last weekend’s anti-war activities in Seoul, South Korea

Last Friday the 2nd Students Action Day was held in Seoul. In Ehwa Woman’s University a very active Anti-war group (http://run.to/nowar) celebrated "Daisy Day” with great music (ace Korean punk!), movies and other actions against the war. In the afternoon several thousand students gathered in Jongmyo Park for a while and turned out to create like the week before a fantastic traffic chaos one of the busiest areas downtown Seoul. Like in other countries in the world in the South Korean capital Seoul on Saturday thousands of people protested against the US-led aggression in Iraq. In the early afternoon a rally, organized by the youth organization Da-hamkke (All Together, took place. In one of Seoul’s busiest quarters Myeong-dong hundreds of mainly young people gathered listening to a short but very good music program and powerful speeches against the war. Migrant workers from the Philippines described in clear words the roots of the war in the Middle East: the Imperialism. And until this system exists there will be wars. One European speaker told about the lesson fresh elected South Korean president Roh Moo-hyun gave to the Koreans what he understand under democracy. While more then 80% of the Koreans are against the war, Roh and the most of the parliamentarians didn’t care and voted for the bill to send S. Korean troops to support the aggressors. He also pointed out that even if the war against the Iraqi government will be over, because there is no Iraqi government anymore, the war against the Iraqi civilians will continue until the occupation troops are staying in the country. And in general the war against all oppressed people in the world will go on until the capitalism exists.

After the rally the participants marched to Seoul’s city hall where the main rally was held. Several thousand, at least 5000, people gathered there to support the demands for the immediate stop of the aggression and the immediate departure of the occupation troops. After the rally the crowd wanted to march to nearby Gwanghwmun area where the ending rally was planned. But large units of riot cops and their buses blocked the way to there. Demonstrators wanted to enter the buses, but the cops reacted very aggressively. They used truncheons, excessively tear gas and even they used fire extinguisher against the people. Also from behind the buses they threw heavy stuff like iron bars to the demonstrators. Several injuries were reported. But even the extreme violent cops couldn’t stop the people. On the end the occupied the area near the U.S. embassy and the ending rally took place where the demonstrators promised to continue the protest until all foreign troops are leaving out off Iraq. And of course also this rally ended with a powerful party with great music and mass dancing. On Sunday in several areas in the town different anti-war activities were held. Like in Insa-dong where a anti-war concert with traditional Korean music took place. On a large demonstration of striking Korean Railway Workers Union the participants, some thousand workers demanded also the immediately stop of the aggression. They said that even the "official” end of the war will be now declared, the war against the civilians in Iraq will continue until the occupation troops are staying in the country.