As Seoul gears up for the October 3rd national holiday, the city is bracing for an extraordinary convergence of political rallies, marathons, and festivals that promise to both energize and complicate life in the capital. According to reports from Hankyoreh and Newspim, the coming days will see a rare alignment of mass gatherings—each with its own message, audience, and logistical challenges—setting the stage for a bustling, and potentially chaotic, long weekend in the heart of South Korea.
At the center of the political storm is the People Power Party (국민의힘), which has called on its metropolitan area party councils to mobilize at least 100 members each, and other regional councils to send at least 50 members, to a large-scale outdoor rally on October 3rd. The event, officially titled the 'Judgment on the Lee Jae-myung government, restoration of people’s livelihood and national security protection national action rally,' is scheduled to take place from 3 PM along the corridor between Seoul City Hall station and Sungnyemun.
This mobilization effort, as reported by Hankyoreh, is no small feat. The party leadership sent out internal directives under the name of Secretary-General Jeong Hee-yong, explicitly requesting attendance numbers and designating responsibility for registering participants at the site. The list of expected attendees is broad, including members of the National Assembly, local councilors, key party officials, and ordinary party members. The central party even instructed each council to appoint a leader to check in at the event, underscoring the seriousness of the organizational push.
However, not everyone in the party is on board. The mobilization order has sparked a flurry of internal criticism, with some members questioning both the timing—smack in the middle of the holiday period—and the underlying motives. One lawmaker, identified as part of the party’s non-mainstream faction, told Hankyoreh, “There are so many local events we’re supposed to attend during the holiday, and now we’re being told exactly how many people to bring to this rally? Starting on October 6, we’re supposed to focus on the National Assembly inspection. Shouldn’t we be tending to our constituencies during the last weekend before that? I don’t understand why the leadership is pushing this through without consulting with the floor leaders.”
Another party official from the metropolitan area voiced concerns about optics and alliances, asking, “What’s the plan if we end up mixed in with groups waving American flags, the ‘Yoon Again’ movement, or those claiming election fraud? Has the leadership thought through how this will affect the party’s image?”
There’s also speculation that the rally serves a dual purpose—beyond criticizing the Lee Jae-myung administration, it may be a bid by party leader Jang Dong-hyuk to consolidate his authority ahead of the upcoming National Assembly inspection period. As one official closely aligned with the influential Han Dong-hoon noted, “If the government’s mismanagement has been ongoing, why stage an outdoor rally now? It seems like Jang is trying to show his strength and solidify his leadership in response to the recent rise of independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon.”
From the party leadership’s perspective, the timing is anything but accidental. As one senior official explained to Hankyoreh, “Jang has been building up issue-by-issue critiques of the Lee Jae-myung administration since before Chuseok. An outdoor rally is an effective way to highlight these points. We want to maximize the impact before the National Assembly inspection and keep up the pressure during the sessions.” Another pro-leadership lawmaker added, “There’s another big gathering at Olympic Park the same day. We want to make October 3rd a day of resistance against the Lee Jae-myung government, to give momentum to our campaign.”
But the People Power Party’s rally is just one piece of a much larger puzzle. According to Newspim, the Korea Righting Movement Headquarters (대한민국바로세우기국민운동본부) will hold its own demonstration from 1 PM near the Donghwa Duty Free Shop on Sejong-daero, marching from 4 PM toward Singyo Intersection. The Our Republican Party is also planning a rally at Sungnyemun, followed by a march toward Jongno 3-ga. Later in the day, at 5 PM, the civic group Candlelight Action will stage its 210th candlelight march near Seocho Station’s exit 8.
All these political gatherings are set against the backdrop of the 2026 Gangnam Festival, which runs from October 3 to 5. Dosan-daero, a major thoroughfare in Gangnam, will be closed to traffic for 53 hours, beginning at midnight on October 3 and ending at 5 AM on October 5, to accommodate festival activities. That’s not all: On October 4, the city will host two marathons—the ‘2026 Run Your Way Seoul 10K Race,’ starting at Yeouido Park and crossing the Han River, and the 23rd Gangnam International Peace Marathon near Bongeunsa Temple. Both events will involve rolling road closures and detours in the affected neighborhoods.
To manage the anticipated traffic chaos, police have announced a deployment of 962 officers across the city, with 209 stationed in the downtown core and 753 in Gangnam. Their mission: to direct traffic, guide drivers around detours, and encourage the use of public transportation wherever possible. Authorities are urging citizens to rely on the subway and to check real-time traffic updates through the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s website or the traffic information hotline (02-700-5000) before heading out.
It’s not every day that Seoul faces such a dense calendar of public events, each vying for attention and participants. While some residents may find the prospect of traffic jams and detours daunting, others are likely to be energized by the spectacle of democracy in action, athletic achievement, and cultural celebration—all unfolding side by side.
For the People Power Party, the October 3rd rally is a high-stakes gambit. The leadership hopes to harness public discontent with the Lee Jae-myung government, amplify its opposition message, and build momentum heading into the National Assembly’s inspection period. Yet the internal dissent highlights the risk of overreach, especially if the rally is seen as more about internal party politics than genuine civic engagement.
Meanwhile, city officials and the police face the challenge of keeping Seoul moving despite the gridlock. Their plea to the public is simple: plan ahead, take the subway, and expect delays. For those who do venture into the city center, patience—and perhaps a sense of humor—will be essential.
As the city braces for a weekend of rallies, races, and revelry, one thing is certain: October’s first holiday will be remembered as a test of Seoul’s capacity for both civic expression and urban resilience.