Police to Barricade Seoul Plaza

Police decided to blockade the large-scale candlelit vigil that the People`s Association for Measures against Mad Cow Disease is planning to hold at Seoul Plaza in front of Seoul City Hall on Saturday.

A Seoul District Police official said Friday, “The principle that [the police] will not allow the use of Seoul Plaza because of the upcoming rally is an unlawful one, which was not reported previously. If the association forcibly occupies the roads around the plaza, they’ll be charged with legal responsibility depending on specific conditions such as the use of violence during the rally.”

Police predict that around 10,000 people, including 1,500 members of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, will join the rally planned for the weekend.

Meanwhile the association held a meeting of regional representatives nationwide at the Social Welfare Hall in Gongdeok-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul at 2 p.m. Friday. Participants of the meeting discussed various issues from specific ways to boycott U.S. beef to plans for future rallies.

The National Human Rights Commission of Korea on Friday held a standing committee and announced that it will exercise authority to study into the excessive police reaction toward the candlelit vigils in relation to human rights violations.

dawn@donga.com