Greenpeace activists created a mural outside the South Korean Embassy in Brussels on Friday morning to show solidarity with five campaigners detained in South Korea for five months.
The group is urging the removal of the travel ban imposed on these activists following their peaceful protest in November 2024.
On 30 November, four Greenpeace activists—a Briton, a German, a Taiwanese, and a Mexican—boarded the petrochemical vessel Buena Alba near the Hanwha TotalEnergies complex in Daesan during international talks on a global treaty against plastic pollution in Busan.
They remained on the ship’s mast for 12 hours to highlight the dangers of plastic pollution.
Charged with ‘trespassing’ and ‘interfering with business operations’, they are prohibited from leaving South Korea.
A fifth individual detained is the captain of the Rainbow Warrior, who is from the Netherlands.
"We demand that our activists be allowed to return home. They aren’t trying to avoid accountability, but they should be able to see their families," stated Nadia Cornejo, Greenpeace Belgium’s spokesperson, during the event.
Their first court appearance is scheduled for 16 May.
A meeting took place this morning with a representative of the South Korean ambassador, who is currently abroad.
"She expressed understanding and committed to conveying our message," the NGO confirmed.
Supportive actions for the detained activists have also occurred in the Netherlands, Italy, the United Kingdom, and other countries.
This situation is unprecedented; in 50 years of activism, only campaigners detained in Russia in 2013 faced similar delays in returning home.
