The city of Seoul will implement safety measures for citizens in relation to the scheduled downtown rallies in Yeouido and Gwanghwamun on the 14th.
With the vote on the second impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk-yeol scheduled at the National Assembly on the 14th, civic groups and conservative groups have announced plans for large-scale rallies in Yeouido and Gwanghwamun. The Emergency Action for Immediate Resignation of Yoon Suk-yeol and Social Reforms will hold the 'National Candlelight March' in front of the National Assembly at 3 p.m. on the 14th, aiming to gather more than 1 million participants. On the same day in the afternoon, conservative groups plan to hold a counter-rally with 1 million participants in Gwanghwamun.
Consequently, the Seoul city government announced on the 13th that 1,031 personnel from district offices, fire departments, and police will commence emergency duty. They will monitor crowded areas using traffic and security closed-circuit (CC) TVs. In addition, a mobile situation room with safety management officers deployed at the rally site will share real-time updates on the ground. The number of staff in the situation management team will be increased from the usual four to ten.
To prevent inconvenience for citizens due to a lack of restrooms, seven temporary restrooms will be installed and operated. There will be five in Yeouido including three near the National Assembly Station and two in Yeouido Park, and two in Gwanghwamun Square. Additionally, police portable toilets around parked police buses at the rally site can also be used.
Subway services will also be increased. Line 5, which operates between 6 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., will have four additional runs. For Line 9, service will be increased by a total of 64 runs from 1:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. The city of Seoul stated that it plans to minimize non-stop transits to avoid inconvenience but will operate flexibly to maintain order.
In subway stations, 281 safety personnel will be deployed to manage routes and prevent accidents.
Furthermore, 288 fire personnel and 25 emergency vehicles including ambulances will be deployed in preparation for emergencies.
Kim Seong-bo, head of the Seoul Disaster and Safety Management Office, said, “Just like last week's rally where there was not a single safety incident, we expect this week's downtown rallies to proceed safely as well,” and added, “The city will prioritize the safety of citizens attending the downtown rallies and will do its utmost to prevent crowd safety accidents.”