On 20 October, around 550 000 KCTU members walked off their jobs, with a further 80 000 participating in large rallies across 13 different cities. In Seoul, around 12 000 police were deployed to prevent the workers from holding a rally in Gwanghwamun Plaza, additionally blocking nearby metro stations. Some strikers reported clashes with the police after the rally began marching towards Seodaemun Station, as the police attempted to break up the rally. The police later stated that it intended to prosecute the organisers of the rally for breaching COVID-19 restrictions.
