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The annual People's Rally was held on the 14th of this month in the center of Seoul at Youido park. About 25,000 workers, farmers, students, and members of various social movement organizations attended the rally and participated in the march to Seoul train station. The air was buzzing with electricity even before the start of the event as dozens of organizations set up booths near the entrance, and around the site of the rally, informing and advertizing to incoming participants of their work, recent struggles, and upcoming issues. Hundreds of activist milled around handing out leaflets and pamphlets. Dozens of banners hung from trees and lampposts all around with demands such as 'Reduction of Working Hours!' 'Total Eradication of the National Security Law!' 'Solve Farmer's Debts!' 'Against Privatization!' 'Increase of Education Finance!' There were many booths selling food to help raise money for ongoing struggles at the workplace. Participants also couldn't miss the three ongoing movements for a progressive party in Korea which were present in full force: the Democracy Labor Party, Korea Youth Progress Party, and Power of Workers(these were introduced in a previous newsletter).

Several speeches were given by leaders of trade unions, farmer's organizations, and organizations for the poor. The IMF's restructuring program, Kim Dae Jung's government and its neo-liberal policies were harshly criticized. Dan Byung Ho, leader of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, remarked during his speech that "the government is advertizing to the people that we have recovered from the IMF crisis, but look around and at ourselves. Have we recovered? Have not millions of workers been forced from their jobs? Millions had their wages reduced? Thousands forced to the street? The economy might have improved, but only for the wealthy and powerful, at the cost of the workers and the people of this country." Other speakers followed with similar criticisms of the government and its policies. After the march to Seoul Train Station, about 5000 of the participants in the march blocked the roads and occupied the entire 8 lanes in front of the station in a sign of protest for about an hour before ending the rally. The People's Rally committee has announce there will be a 2nd People's Rally next month. It also declared an all-out struggle against the government if sincere talks with the workers, farmers do not take place and the people's demands are not met.

The following are the official demands of the People's Rally Committee
-Stop Layoffs and Reduce Working Hours to 40
-Relieve Farmer's Debts
-Stop Oppression of the Poor
-Eradication of the National Security Law and Immediate Release of All Political Prisoners
-Against Privatization
-Against Korea-U.S./Korea-Japan Bilateral Investment Treaties
-Stop WTO Negotiations
-Stop Employment/Wage Discrimination Against Women