The March to Daechuri

This is an account of what happened around Pyongtaek and Daechuri in South Korea on Sunday June 18th, 2006. Background information on why this rally took place can be found here: saveptfarmers.org

The objective was to reach the Village of Daechuri - which is scheduled for demolition in order to expand the U.S. military base Camp Humphreys. The rally was in support of the Korean famers who refuse to move from their homes in Daechuri. The government denied a permit for the peaceful demonstration and posted 10,000 police and soldiers around the village to prevent the marchers from reaching their destination. All roads to Daechuri were blocked so the marchers were forced to try to reach Daechuri by walking through the fields near the village.

The marchers broke into smaller groups, using guerilla tactics to break through the police lines. My group made it's way to the far left flank. We ran into a wall of barbed wire, barricades and soldiers.

UPDATE: One group reports that they breached the police line and made contact with the villagers in Doduri:
"I'm very happy that we could win [against] the policemen and got to Doduri (the village is close by Daechuri) and we met the participants of the rally." Several Daechuri people continue to play the samulnori (a folk music accompanied by four percussion instruments) at night with happiness in their minds.... It seems that they are preparing a bigger rally in july. More Information

Here are my photos.

Rally before the march

Heading Out

The first group enters the rice fields

Lots of People

Korea's National Student Union strikes fear into the hearts of the establishment

More Photos
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