50,000 expected at Sejong-daero, 10,000 at Sungnyemun; Dosan-daero closed through early Tuesday for Gangnam Festival
Multiple large-scale rallies and events are set to take place across central Seoul on Saturday, the National Foundation Day holiday, with significant traffic congestion expected throughout the day. A stretch of Dosan-daero in Gangnam will remain fully closed through early Tuesday morning for the Gangnam Festival.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, the Liberty Unification Party will hold a rally along Sejong-daero in front of the Dongwha duty-free store starting at 1 p.m., with 50,000 participants registered. After the rally, demonstrators plan to march from 4 p.m. along Saemunnan-ro and Jahamun-ro to Singyo intersection.
The People Power Party will hold a "National Rally to Denounce the Government" near Sungnyemun from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., with 10,000 participants registered.
Several other groups — including Cheonmanin Undongbonbu, Jeongungusagdongjiryeonhaphoe and the Palestine Solidarity — will also hold rallies and marches Saturday afternoon near Sungnyemun, Seoul Station and Bosingak, with vehicle congestion expected along Sejong-daero and in the Jongno and Euljiro areas.
In Gangnam, the 2026 Gangnam Festival will restrict traffic on Dosan-daero. An approximately 500-meter stretch between Dosan Park intersection and Hakdong intersection will be closed in both directions from midnight Saturday through 5 a.m. Tuesday.
A large street parade is scheduled along that stretch from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., during which an approximately 730-meter section between Cheongdam intersection and Hakdong intersection will be temporarily closed before and after the event.
Progressive civic group Chottbul Haengdong will also hold a rally calling for the impeachment of the Supreme Court chief justice from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., with 5,000 participants registered. After the rally, demonstrators plan to march along two lanes of Gangnam-daero toward Gangnam Station.
kido@heraldcorp.com
