On the 15th, the 80th Liberation Day, labor and conservative groups will hold a large-scale rally in downtown Seoul. In the evening, a national appointment ceremony held by President Lee Jae-myung will take place.
According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the national appointment ceremony of the 21st President titled "80 years of liberation, building the future with popular sovereignty" will be held at 8 p.m. at Gwanghwamun Plaza in Seoul. The ministry noted, "In commemoration of the 80th anniversary of liberation, this is a grand festival declaring that the people are the masters of this country to both domestic and foreign audiences."
According to the police, about 70 rallies have been reported near Gwanghwamun Plaza on that day. The police will deploy 7,000 personnel from 102 riot police units and are preparing to install barricades. Rooftops of major buildings near the event site will be closed, and unauthorized drone flights will be prohibited.
All lanes in both directions from Jeoksan Rotary near Gwanghwamun Plaza to Gwanghwamun Rotary and Sejong Rotary will be closed from 6 a.m. to midnight on that day. Additionally, all lanes in one direction will be closed from Gwanghwamun Rotary to in front of the Sejong the Great statue until 9 a.m. on the 16th.
The police will also deploy about 350 traffic officers to manage traffic, including vehicle detours. The police advised, "Please use the subway if possible."
The Korea Restoration Movement, led by Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon of Sarang First Church, reported that it would hold a rally with about 10,000 participants at Seoul Station that afternoon. The organization will also march to Yongsan Samgakji near the presidential office.
The 8.15 National Self-Reliance Conference Promotion Committee is scheduled to hold a rally with 10,000 participants near Sungnyemun at 7 p.m. before marching towards the Japanese Embassy via Anguk Station. The police issued some restrictions on protests, stating that gatherings and demonstrations could not occur within 100 meters of the embassy and allowed marches only up to in front of the Somerset Palace Seoul.
Yang Kyung-soo, Chairperson of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), was invited to the national appointment ceremony but decided not to attend. The KCTU is hosting a pre-rally for the 8.15 Liberation Day from 5:30 p.m. near Sungnyemun, reporting that 10,000 participants will attend.