South Korea’s Buses, Checkpoints, and the Fourth COVID Wave – A Quick‑Fire Chronicle
On the 15th of August, the capital’s streets were basically a steel‑castle: hundreds of buses parked tight in front of main boulevards, plus a network of heavily‑armed checkpoints that aimed to keep any would‑be protester in line. The South Korean police didn’t want a crowd gathering like it’s the last asteroid hit, so they took that proactive route.
Why the Police Took the Chair (and the Bus) in Charge
- • Dangerous Situation: The fourth COVID wave smashed past the 2,200 daily case threshold last week, all thanks to the Delta strain that’s got a lot more “fit” pass‑on.
- • Historical Precedent: The 2019 protest on Liberation Day that sparked 1,800+ infections had hinted at the real danger of crowds.
- • Preventative Posture: The government banned all public protests, and the police rolled out “zero tolerance” on any defiance.
Checkpoints and Buses: The Tactical Playbook
- • Sturdy blockades – Bus lines lining up along coaxes in front of Dongdaemun and the big square. Acts like a giant safety shield.
- • 80+ checkpoints – Carried by cars, vans, and occasionally bicycles, staffed by police ready to stop anything questionable.
- • Transit intermission – Subway trains and public buses purposely avoided stopping at potential rally venues.
Lights, Camera, Guerrilla!
Despite the heavy guard, local TV captured a handful of folks still staging their own “socially distanced” marches.
They marched, they sang, and kept maybe a meter or two apart—just enough to spread what no one wanted. They kicked out speeches about everything from policy snags to worker rights.
Police, Courts, and Church: Winter of Protest and Consequence
- • Police action – On Saturday, the squad dismantled an organization that had run the 2019 rally.
- • Legal crackdown – The chief of a prominent union got an arrest warrant after a flurry of illegal protest dates since May.
- • Church problem – A building that had sparked last year’s outbreak held a 800‑strong in‑person service on Sunday, falling against the distancing drill.
When asked, the church didn’t respond. But the district said it was “hollowed” by the policy reminders.
Executive Leader Kim Boo‑kyum said in a meeting, “Some groups didn’t heed our repeated warnings and pushed ahead anyway. We’re going to “zero tolerance” with these kinds of violations.”
Remember…some folks have suffered from the last year’s rally, remember that.
COVID Numbers: The Lowdown
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA):
- • Saturday’s spike – 1,817 new virus cases, marking the highest Saturday count since the pandemic started last year.
- • Total cases so far – 223,928.
- • Deaths – 2,156 casualties.
Vaccines: The Road Ahead
South Korea has 193 million doses for 52 million souls. But zero‑to‑one status?
Engagement: 43.6% have gotten at least one dose. Fully vaccinated? 19%.
President Moon Jae‑in promised a 70% boost by October during the Liberation Day speech. No specifics dropped, though.
That shortfall keeps the nation in a tricky spot: it’s trying to shake off a swelt of infections and still be on the bike supply chain. We’ll know how it turns out in the next round of the pandemic journies.
