Woohae Cho
Seoul, South Korea. 1 May 2015
May Day rallies around the world gave workers an opportunity to gather and, in some cases, air grievances. In South Korea, rallies turned violent as some workers clashed with riot police. A crowd estimated at anywhere from 40,000 to 100,000 gathered in Seoul, calling for a general strike to protest labor reforms proposed by the government.
Police attempted to disperse the crowd that gathered outside President Park Geun-Hye’s offices with water cannon. Park’s conservative government is seeking reforms union leaders said would make it easier for employers to hire and fire workers.