Farmers' Protest in Seoul Blocked by Police
On May 10, members of the National Farmers' Union (전국농민회총연맹, 전농) attempted to bring their tractor protest to downtown Seoul but were halted by police who denied them access to the roads. Approximately 50 protesters, accompanied by 32 tractors, began their journey from Suwon in Gyeonggi Province, passing through Anyang before entering Geumcheon District around 12:10 PM.
Despite the rain, the tractor convoy was moving slowly using three lanes when they were stopped under the Kia Bridge in Geumcheon. Earlier, on May 8, police issued a 'prohibition notice' preventing the tractors from entering Seoul. So far, there have been no physical confrontations between the protesters and the police.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency deployed around 1,500 officers from 20 riot police units in anticipation of potential traffic congestion over the weekend if the tractors were allowed to enter the city. While the police permitted 20 one-ton trucks to enter the city, they maintained their stance against the tractors, similar to a court ruling during a previous protest in March.
The farmers, who began their journey on May 7 from regions including Jeonnam, Jeonbuk, and Chungnam, are advocating for demands such as 'the realization of a farmers' constitution' and 'the cessation of rice imports.' They had originally planned to participate in a large-scale civic rally titled 'A Citizens' Rally for Agricultural Reform and the Abolition of Insurrectionary Agricultural Policies' at Gwanghwamun in Jongno at 3 PM on the same day.
The standoff between the tractor convoy and police has resulted in significant traffic congestion in the area.
