On November 8, the People’s Democracy Party (PDP) attended the National Workers’ Rally “Inheriting the Spirit of Martyr Jeon Tae-il” hosted by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) and the National Workers’ Rally “Completely Rewriting Labor!” hosted by the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) in Seoul, South Korea.
They posted 1,000 copies of the “Stop the Traitorous Negotiations! Remove the Bandit Occupation Army, the US Forces!” and “21st Century Che Guevara” posters around the venue. They also distributed 7,000 copies of the party’s publication, Party Newspaper Issue No. 156, titled “Stop the Treacherous Deals! Down with the Bandit United States! Withdraw the Occupying US Forces!”.
Just before the rally began, posters with the slogans “Immediately Halt the Unprecedented Treasonous Negotiations! Remove the Bandit Occupation Army, the US Forces!” and “21st Century Che Guevara” were posted around the rally venue.
Defense Brigade Formation
“21st Century Che Guevara” is the alias for the Defense Brigade organized by the PDP. On November 15 in Seoul, a Workers’ Resolution Rally and a Youth Student Resolution Rally will be held, bringing together advanced workers and youth students who have resolved to join the “21st Century Che Guevara”. At the PDP Representatives’ Meeting scheduled for November 23, the party plans to formally establish the “21st Century Che Guevara” as its official defense, party-level defense brigade.
Workers and citizens expressed agreement with the poster reading “Immediately Halt the Unprecedented Treasonous Negotiations! Remove the Bandit Occupying Forces, the US Army!” and showed interest, looking intently at the “21st Century Che Guevara” poster.
After the rally began, the PDP distributed its newspaper ‘People’ 156, titled “Stop the Treacherous Deals! Down with the Bandit United States! Withdraw the Occupying US Forces”. Party members intensively distributed the newspaper to workers. Some union members actively joined the PDP’s propaganda campaign, grabbing handfuls of the newspaper to distribute to fellow union members.
Rally Chants and Anti-US Protest
During the rally march, party members chanted slogans alongside workers: “Stop the unprecedented treasonous, idiotic acts!”, “If Lee Jae-myung signs, it’s impeachment!”, “Reject the 350 billion + 600 billion dollar robber-state America!”, and “Let’s liquidate the alliance of the greatest traitors, the pro-alliance chaebol!”.
Following this, the PDP held a party rally in front of the US Embassy on Sambong-ro demanding “Reject the Robber US! Withdraw the Occupying US Forces!”.
The chairman of the PDP’s Anti-US Anti-War Special Committee argued that “What Lee Jae-myung is doing is unprecedented traitorous idiocy” and “While he released a mere 20 trillion won for people’s livelihood support, She decided to hand over at least 500 trillion won to the US”. She added, “When 350 billion won is combined with $600 billion, totaling $950 billion, the money we must give to the US is 1,400 trillion won.” She raged, “They’re thanking the US for allowing a 10-year installment plan instead of a lump sum payment, and the pro-alliance, pro-imperialist conglomerates are applauding this.” “Who is this negotiation for? President Lee Jae-myung himself said he would be impeached if he signed something that didn’t benefit him,” she strongly argued, adding, “The moment he signs it will be the day he faces impeachment.”
Solidarity with Venezuela
Meanwhile, the Korean Democratic Union held a rally displaying banners reading “21st Century Che Guevara,” “Viva Maduro! Viva Venezuela!“ banners and chanted slogans, expressing solidarity with the Venezuelan people and strong support for the Venezuelan Defense Brigades. Union members especially shouted together, ”We support the heroic anti-US struggle of the Venezuelan workers and people!“ and ”Viva Maduro! Viva Venezuela!”
