The South Korean government vowed tough measures against any unlawful activity during the scheduled mass rally against labor and education measures on Saturday that is anticipated to gather some 100,000 protesters, the most since the anti-U.S. beef protests in 2008, according to police.

The Cabinet members issued a joint statement in a press conference that the government would hold accountable those responsible for violating laws and inciting violence during the protest set to take place around 4 p.m. at Seoul Plaza, Korea’s popular venue for rallies.

“We will track down and bring to justice those who incite illegal protests and engage in violent acts,” said Justice Minister Kim Hyun-woong. He was joined by ministers and vice ministers of agriculture, interior, labor and education.

The Korea Confederation of Trade Unions, the more militant of the country’s two major umbrella labor unions, estimated that at least 100,000 students, farmers, laborers, public servant union members and activists will gather to rally against labor reforms, free trade agreements and the history textbooks.

National Police Agency chief Kang Shin-myung had also vowed Thursday to block any attempt by protesters to approach Cheong Wa Dae, such as by barricading all roads in Gwanghwamun with police vehicles.

The prosecutor’s national security department also vowed to crack down on any participation by those deemed “antistate,” such as by supporting North Korea.

The education and interior ministries in the statement urged government workers and teachers not to participate in the protest, saying the rally would cause traffic jams on a day when students are to take an essay test as part of the college entrance exams.

“The policies pushed by the government such as labor reform, Korea-China FTA and normalization of history education are imminent reform tasks that must be achieved for sake of the country’s sustained development. ... But there continue to be baseless denunciations and misleading of public opinion,” the statement read.

The KCTU said that the rally is aimed at condemning the government for lax communication in its attempt to overhaul rules on business sectors that are designed to enable more flexible use of nonregular workers glorified as ways to create jobs for the young.

Korea has been roiling in controversy over some of the administration’s key policies, namely the reinstatement of state-authored history textbooks despite vehement opposition from progressives and opposition parties.

The KCTU also released a statement Friday urging test-takers to support their rally and asked them to travel to the exam center earlier than scheduled due to traffic concerns.

“Eleven of the 12 universities that are holding the essay exam are located far away from the site of the rally and will not be influenced. As the majority of the universities are holding the test before noon, they will not be affected by the rally being held in the afternoon,” the union said.



By Yeo Jun-suk (jasonyeo@heraldcorp.com)