Seoul City has decided to temporarily ban gatherings at Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul Plaza, and Cheonggye Plaza to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). Meanwhile, on the 23rd, the National Rally to Set the Republic of Korea Straight, hosted by the Moon Jae-in Resignation National Struggle Headquarters (Beomtu-bon), is being held in front of the Kyobo Building in Gwanghwamun, Seoul. Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon, president of the Korea Christian Federation, is speaking. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@
[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] The police have decided to strictly respond by issuing prohibition notices for assemblies held in Seoul and preventing gatherings if the assemblies are forcibly carried out.
On the 25th, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced that, following the recent escalation of the COVID-19 crisis alert to the highest level, "serious," it will issue prohibition notices under the Assembly and Demonstration Act for future assemblies by groups banned from holding assemblies in Seoul.
The police explained, "Given the situation where confirmed COVID-19 cases are spreading in the Seoul area, it was judged that holding assemblies with a large number of people gathering at locations where Seoul city has banned assemblies directly poses a risk to public peace and order."
The police stated that the Beomtu-bon violated the assembly ban decisions by Seoul city and Jongno-gu on the 21st by forcibly holding an assembly, and that it cannot be ruled out that infected individuals, including those in the incubation period, participated in the assembly, and some participants sat closely together without wearing masks, chanting slogans and conversing, which raises significant concerns about infection. In particular, considering statements by some speakers leading Beomtu-bon, such as Pastor Jeong Gwang-hoon, who said, "If you attend the assembly, even diseases you had will be cured," and "It doesn't matter if you get infected," the prohibition notice for the assembly is an unavoidable measure.
The police have stated that even if assemblies are held in downtown Seoul despite this prohibition notice, they will strictly respond with measures such as preventing gatherings, forced dispersal, and legal action. A police official said, "During the period when the COVID-19 crisis alert remains at the ‘serious’ level, the Assembly and Demonstration Act will be consistently applied to assemblies banned by local governments."
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