VISUALS: Tractor protestors continue standoff with police for second day
By Han Jun-gu, Park Sae-jinPosted : December 22, 2024, 15:51Updated : December 22, 2024, 15:51
SEOUL, December 22 (AJP) - Farmers from the Korean Peasants League (KPL) are locked in a standoff with police for the second consecutive day after their attempt to enter Seoul with around 30 tractors and 50 trucks was blocked by authorities.
The farmers, traveling to join a mass rally in the city, were stopped by police near Namtaeryeong Pass, a key route connecting Seoul to its southern suburbs. The police cited concerns that the tractors would cause significant traffic disruptions and erected roadblocks to prevent entry.
The farmers had planned to visit President Yoon Suk Yeol’s residence in Hannam before heading to the rally. However, as the standoff continued through Saturday night, more than one thousand additional protestors from central Seoul joined the farmers to show solidarity and prevent potential arrests.
A KPL official stated, "Ordinary citizens stayed with the farmers all night to protect them," adding that the crowd had grown to over two thousand people by Sunday morning. The ongoing roadblock has resulted in severe traffic congestion in southern Seoul, with long delays reported in the area.
Farmers and protesters chant demanding the arrest of President Yoon Suk Yeol near Namtaeryeong Hill in Seoul, Dec. 22, 2024. AJP Han Jun-gu
Police trucks and cars block the road near Namtaeryeong Hill in Seoul, Dec. 22, 2024. AJP Han Jun-gu
Blocked tractors and cargo trucks remain parked near Namtaeryeong Hill in Seoul, Dec. 22, 2024. AJP Han Jun-gu
Blocked tractors and cars remain parked near Namtaeryeong Hill in Seoul, Dec. 22, 2024. AJP Han Jun-gu
Blocked tractors and cargo trucks remain parked near Namtaeryeong Hill in Seoul, Dec. 22, 2024. AJP Han Jun-gu
Blocked tractors and cars remain parked near Namtaeryeong Hill in Seoul, Dec. 22, 2024. AJP Han Jun-gu
Protesters and police stand in a confrontation near Namtaeryeong Hill in Seoul, Dec. 22, 2024. AJP Han Jun-gu
Protesters and police stand in a confrontation near Namtaeryeong Hill in Seoul, Dec. 22, 2024. AJP Han Jun-gu
Farmers and protesters chant demanding the arrest of President Yoon Suk Yeol near Namtaeryeong Hill in Seoul, Dec. 22, 2024. AJP Han Jun-gu
Farmers and protesters hold light sticks of various colors near Namtaeryeong Hill in Seoul, Dec. 22, 2024. AJP Han Jun-gu
Volunteers distribute coffee and water to protesters near Namtaeryeong Hill in Seoul, Dec. 22, 2024. AJP Han Jun-gu
A tractor displays a sign demanding President Yoon Suk Yeol's arrest near Namtaeryeong Hill in Seoul, Dec. 22, 2024. AJP Han Jun-gu
