Opposition Party Visits Police Agency to Protest Police Overreaction to Self-Employed Vehicle Demonstrations

"If Police Act Illegally During Crackdown, They Will Be Reported"

People Power Party members Lee Young (from left), Choi Seung-jae, and Kim Hyung-dong are visiting the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Seodaemun-gu on the 22nd to protest against the crackdown on self-employed business owners' protests.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-joo] As the police have launched an internal investigation into the 'drive-thru' rally held by self-employed business owners protesting the government's quarantine measures, lawmakers from the People Power Party visited the National Police Agency in protest on the afternoon of the 22nd.

Choi Seung-jae, chairman of the People Power Party's Small Business Committee, along with party members Kim Hyung-dong and Lee Young from the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee, met with reporters before their meeting with Police Commissioner Kim Chang-ryong, criticizing, "The public authority excessively suppressed and blocked the anguished cries of the self-employed."

Rep. Choi said, "The damage to small business owners and the self-employed due to the COVID-19 crisis is severe. How desperate must they have been to take to the streets? The police oppressed their desperate struggle for survival." He added, "Unlike the recent Korean Confederation of Trade Unions rallies, we will clearly question the excessive response to the self-employed's rally."

After the meeting with Commissioner Kim, Rep. Choi stated, "I fully explained the unfortunate situation of the self-employed," and added, "If any harm occurs due to unreasonable legal interpretations, we will respond strongly at the party level."

Additionally, Rep. Kim Hyung-dong said, "We received a general response that appropriate measures were taken according to the law," and added, "If it is confirmed that there was any illegality by the police during the crackdown, we will file a complaint at the party level."

Meanwhile, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has regarded the two late-night vehicle protests held by self-employed groups in downtown Seoul on the 14th and 15th as illegal demonstrations and has launched an internal investigation applying charges of violating the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act and the Assembly and Demonstration Act against the organizers.