Prohibition of Gatherings Over 10 People and in Restricted Areas
"COVID-19 Spread Continues... Request to Refrain from and Reduce Gatherings"
[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] As conservative groups have declared their intention to hold large-scale Samiljeol rallies, the police have confirmed that they have issued prohibition notices for all 100 or so rallies reported with more than 10 participants or in restricted areas.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on the 25th, a total of 1,478 Samiljeol rally reports were filed in Seoul until the previous day. Among them, the police issued prohibition notices for 102 cases reported by 13 groups that held rallies with more than 10 participants or in restricted areas. The groups subject to prohibition notices included not only conservative groups but also progressive and anti-Japan groups.
The police stated that, according to the quarantine standards of local governments such as the Seoul Metropolitan Government, they manage rally reports under the same criteria by issuing prohibition notices for all rallies reported with more than 10 participants or in restricted areas, regardless of the group.
For permitted rallies, the police will cooperate with quarantine authorities to ensure compliance with the limits on the number of participants and quarantine rules, and if they judge that the risk of infectious disease spread is high due to gatherings of more than 10 people and that public order may be threatened, they will proceed with dispersal procedures and respond strictly.
A police official said, "The spread of COVID-19 continues and public concern is high," adding, "We ask all groups planning rallies to refrain from or reduce the scale of their rallies as much as possible or to conduct them according to the standards of the quarantine authorities."
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