Police vow stern measures ahead of large-scale weekend rallies


Police vowed Thursday to deal sternly with any illegal acts during large-scale rallies set to take place in Seoul over the weekend, including one by a doctors’ association to protest the government’s decision to increase the medical school enrollment quota.

The Korean Medical Association (KMA), a major lobby group for doctors, plans to hold the rally in Seoul’s Yeouido district Sunday afternoon to protest the medical school quota increase, where about 25,000 people are expected to participate.

Other rallies are also scheduled for the three-day holiday that include Friday’s March 1 Independence Movement Day holiday, including one slated for Friday by the far-right Liberty Unification Party that is expected to draw 35,000 people.

Police plan to deploy some 8,000 personnel from 134 police units in total during the three-day period. They also vowed to take swift measures to break up rallies in case they illegally occupy all roads and trigger traffic congestion, or assault police officers in the line of duty.

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ource: Yonhap News Agency