01 Feb 2019 | 10:39 AM UTC
South Korea: Demonstration in front of the Japanese embassy in Seoul February 1
Hundreds of mourners gather in dowtown Seoul February 1, before protesting in front of the Japanese embassy
Event
In the morning (local time) of Friday, February 1, hundreds of people, including mourners and activists, gathered at the public square in front of Seoul City Hall to attend a memorial event in memory for an outspoken advocate on war who died early this week. Participants then marched towards the Japanese embassy to protest the Imperial Japan's use of forced labour during wartime.
Context
64 years after the end of the Second World War and the Japanese colonial period in the Korean peninsula, the war violence remains a contentious matter between Seoul and Tokyo which share a bitter history stemming from Japan's 1910-45 colonisation of the Korean peninsula.
Advice
Individuals present in Seoul are advised to monitor developments to the situation, avoid all gatherings as a precaution, and adhere to any instructions issued by the local authorities.
