URGENT NOTICE FROM THE U.S. EMBASSY

Filed under: Uncategorized — Jeff in Korea at 5:41 pm on Tuesday, May 25, 2004

The U.S. Embassy is transmitting the following information through the Embassy’s warden system as a public service to all U.S. citizens in the Republic of Korea. Please disseminate this message to U.S. citizens in your organizations.

Seoul Metropolitan Police authorities advised the Embassy of two planned large-scale demonstrations that will occur in the vicinity of the US Embassy in Seoul. The anti-war protests are scheduled at the Kyobo Building (one block south of the Embassy) on the following dates:

May 29, 2004 at 7:00 pm 20,000 individuals to protest Korean troop dispatch for Iraq

June 12, 2004 at 7:00 pm 30,000 individuals to protest Korean troop dispatch for Iraq

Political, labor, and student demonstrations and marches have on occasion become confrontational and/or violent. American citizens and their family members should exercise caution and avoid gatherings of large groups in order to minimize risk to their personal safety. Streets may also close without warning on orders of the local police.

The Embassy encourages all American citizens to read and follow the suggestions in the world wide public announcement issued by the Department of State on April 29, 2004. See http://www.asktheconsul.org/2004apr29.htm or http://travel.state.gov/ .

The U.S. Embassy in Seoul will continue to keep the U.S. community informed of any changes in the overall security situation. To hear a recording of the most up-to-date security information affecting U.S. citizens in Korea, please call 02-397-4114 and press the following series of numbers: 1, 1, 1, 7. In addition, notices concerning security matters will also be broadcast on AFNK television and radio. The Embassy encourages all U.S. citizens to register their presence in Korea with the American Citizens Services office at the U.S. Embassy or via the Internet at http://www.usembassy.state.gov/seoul or http://www.asktheconsul.org/.

9 Comments »

667

Comment by Plunge

25 May 2004 @ 10:48 pm

So, are you going to go to Seoul and get some good pics?

668

Comment by Jeff in Korea

26 May 2004 @ 1:58 am

absolutely.

669

Comment by Scott-in-Japan

26 May 2004 @ 7:36 am

Are the demonstrations (and demonstrators) getting any more ‘dangerous’ than in the past?

When I was in Seoul January 2003 I felt perfectly secure walking past a couple demonstrations, as well as a couple of sign-up stations the day before. Even with my short (possibly military) haircut the only trouble I had was a couple of dirty looks. Has the deployment of Korean troops given the demonstrators a meaningful change in mood?

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Comment by Jeff in Korea

26 May 2004 @ 9:23 am

Scott, I don’t know, but I will find in a couple of days.

671

Comment by Ari

27 May 2004 @ 8:49 pm

I’d imagine they’d be fairly peaceful, given the cause. Even the most ardent anti-war protester is able to distinguish between the government and a private citizen, no?

672

Trackback by Flying Yangban

4 June 2004 @ 10:25 am

Ansan College overrun by ’student activists’

What no teargas? As anyone who follows Korean culture knows, the period between May 18 (the starting date of the Gwangju Uprising in 1980) and final exams in mid-June is the traditional protest season in Korea. As an extra bonus

673

Trackback by Flying Yangban

4 June 2004 @ 10:26 am

Ansan College overrun by ’student activists’

What no teargas? As anyone who follows Korean culture knows, the period between May 18 (the starting date of the Gwangju Uprising in 1980) and final exams in mid-June is the traditional protest season in Korea. As an extra bonus

674

Trackback by Flying Yangban

4 June 2004 @ 10:32 am

Ansan College overrun by ’student activists’

What no teargas? As anyone who follows Korean culture knows, the period between May 18 (the starting date of the Gwangju Uprising in 1980) and final exams in mid-June is the traditional protest season in Korea. As an extra bonus

675

Trackback by Flying Yangban

5 June 2004 @ 12:40 am

Ansan College overrun by ’student activists’

What no teargas? As anyone who follows Korean culture knows, the period between May 18 (the starting date of the Gwangju Uprising in 1980) and final exams in mid-June is the traditional protest season in Korea. As an extra bonus

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