STORY: Over 30,000 people took to the streets of South Korea's capital on Saturday (September 27), demanding the government set ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets, just days after President Lee Jae Myung addressed the UN General Assembly alongside US President Donald Trump.

Protesters of all ages filled downtown Seoul, carrying signs that called for urgent measures against coal power development, plastic pollution, and other environmental challenges.

Kwon Woo-hyun, an organizer of the 927 Climate Justice March, told Reuters citizens' solidarity at the protest signals hope in tackling the climate crisis.

"I don’t think there’s any need to argue or debate with ignorant and atrocious climate crisis deniers like President Trump,” Kwon added.

This year's demonstration took place at Gwanghwamun Square, a notable change from last year's march held in Gangnam's bustling financial and shopping district, where organizers aimed to draw attention from prominent corporations they hold accountable for carbon emissions.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (SEPTEMBER 27, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. PROTESTERS MARCHING WHILE HOLDING BANNERS READING (Korean): “COAL POWER CAN STOP, BUT IT CANNOT STOP OUR LIVES”

2. PROTESTERS CHANTING AND WAVING SIGNS DURING MARCH

3. PROTESTER HOLDING FLAG READING (English): “NO MORE CO2”

4. PROTESTERS PUSHING MODEL OF GLOBE

5. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS PERFORMING SAMULNORI, TRADITIONAL KOREAN PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE, DURING MARCH

6. PROTESTERS HOLDING LARGE PUPPET OF A "SAMDUMAE", A KOREAN MYTHICAL THREE-HEADED HAWK WHICH SYMBOLISES DANGER, AS A METAPHOR FOR THE CLIMATE CRISIS

7. PROTESTER DRAGGING PLACARD WITH PHOTOGRAPH OF U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP WITH "X" MARK

8. (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) ORGANIZER OF 927 CLIMATE JUSTICE MARCH COMMITTEE, KWON WOO-HYUN, SAYING:

"I don’t think there’s any need to argue or debate with ignorant and atrocious climate crisis deniers like President Trump. Since it is a shame that the current U.S. president holds such views, as they negatively affect the world’s response to climate and environmental issues. Still, as we can see in today’s Climate Justice March, I believe citizens’ united action can overcome the climate crisis."

9. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS OCCUPYING STREET, CHANTING SLOGANS WHILE HOLDING UP SIGNS

10. PROTESTERS MARCHING WITH FLAGS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ACTIVIST GROUPS

11. (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) ORGANIZER OF 927 CLIMATE JUSTICE MARCH COMMITTEE, KWON WOO-HYUN, SAYING:

" The (South Korean) government-set greenhouse gas reduction targets must not be the kind of unachievable goals that are bound to fail in preventing the climate crisis. I think the struggle will now be about winning those targets. Beyond that, it’s also about laying the groundwork for activities to abolish developments and industries, such as coal power and nuclear power, that stand in the way of realizing climate justice.”

12. VARIOUS OF CLIMATE ACTIVISTS CHANTING

13. PROTESTERS WEARING ORIGAMI HATS IN THE SHAPE OF BIRD HEADS

14. HAT WITH ATTACHED PLASTIC CUP CARRYING GLOBE WITH SIGN READING (English): “STOP PLASTIC POLLUTION, START SAVING OUR PLANET”

15. (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) PROTESTER, YOON HANG, SAYING:

"This spring we faced wildfires, and in the summer, floods caused huge damage, which are signs of abnormal climate. The reality is that such damages fall disproportionately on socially vulnerable groups rather than the privileged. Yet not only the previous government but also the current one seems to have very inadequate climate policies."

16. PROTESTERS CHANTING WHILE HOLDING SIGNS OVER HEADS

17. BAG CARRYING SIGNS SHOWING TRUMP’S PORTRAITS, EACH BEARING MESSAGES READING (English): “STOP THE GANGSTER’S ACT’ / “PAY FOR THE U.S. MILITARY STAY”

18. (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) 20-YEAR-OLD PROTESTER, CHOI JI-AN, SAYING:

"Environmental problems ultimately stem from inequality, and those who can most immediately feel and recognize these problems are the vulnerable, not those with power. That may be why such ignorant remarks (from the U.S. President Donald Trump) could even come out in the first place."

19. PROTESTERS OCCUPYING STREET

20. MODELS REPRESENTING YELLOW NUCLEAR WASTE BARRELS

21. TEMPORARY TATTOO ON PROTESTER’S NECK READING (English): “NO NUKE”