On the 3rd, the first anniversary of the Dec. 3 martial law, progressive groups held a rally near the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul. Some of the demonstrators flocked to a nearby gas station and other places, effectively forcing them to suspend operations.
The Emergency Action Committee for the Record and Commemoration of Liquidating the Rebellion and Great Social Reform (Emergency Action) held a "civic march for the liquidation and end of the Dec. 3 rebellion and treason and for great social reform" near National Assembly Station in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, at 7 p.m. that day. Emergency Action is an organization formed by progressive groups. Police unofficially estimated that more than 6,000 people gathered for the rally.
Those who took part in the rally chanted slogans such as "This is the sovereign's order. Let's completely liquidate the rebellion forces!" "We will win. Let's put an end to the rebellion!" "Dissolve the People Power Party that abetted the rebellion" and "Liquidate the rebellion and treason and carry out great social reform." They also held placards reading "Let's liquidate the rebellion and treason" and "Let's realize great social reform."
As the rally crowd grew, shops near the venue struggled to operate. In particular, a gas station fell into a "virtually closed" state as demonstrators converged. In front of the gas station, flags bearing the names Rebuilding Korea Party, Basic Income Party, and universities in the Seoul metropolitan area fluttered instead of cars.
A gas station employee near the National Assembly said, "We told them, 'We're open for business, so you can't come in,' and asked, 'How is this not a nuisance?,' but they kept pouring in to take commemorative photos."
As progressive and conservative groups held rallies one after another in front of the National Assembly that day, police deployed about 5,400 officers in 83 mobile units but could not control all the crowds.