Photo:
EPA
Streets of Seoul: protests in South Korea
Tomorrow students, farmers and civic groups join trade unions in big anti-government protests in Seoul. They will air a ragbag of grievances, including labour-market reforms that would make it easier to sack workers and plans to reintroduce state-issued history textbooks. Rallies, frequent and raucous, usually follow a choreographed and peaceful routine. But last month an assembly of at least 68,000—the biggest in seven years—turned nasty: police deployed water cannons and tear gas, and over 130 officers and protesters were injured. That prompted a draconian response from the administration of Park Geun-hye: this week her conservative party introduced a bill prohibiting masks at rallies (after the president dubiously likened veiled protesters to Islamic State terrorists). Police have raided union offices and banned tomorrow's march. All grist to the mill for South Korea’s disgruntled, who have vowed to turn out in force. Expect a feverish Saturday night.
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