Over 100 Reports in a Day... Residents Suffering Noise from "Jjin-iya~" Election Campaign

Election Noise Standards Louder Than Jet Engine Sounds
Police and Election Commission Find It Difficult to Respond... Clashes Occur Nationwide

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Sehee] Since the official election campaign began on the 19th, there have been continuous complaints from residents about noise and other inconveniences.

Shim Yeonhee (42), who lives in an apartment in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, these days keeps her windows closed even when it is hot. This is because election campaign songs are heard incessantly from the road next to the complex. Shim said, "I keep hearing singer Kim Yeonja's song ‘Amor Fati’ repeatedly," adding, "It's hot and I want to open the window, but the music is so loud that I try not to open it as much as possible." Kim Sumi (35), who lives in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province, said, "The same pledge is repeated endlessly, and the noise pollution is very severe," adding, "I barely put my child to sleep, and I am getting sensitive worrying that the child might wake up."

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on the 23rd, from the 19th to the 21st, a total of about 100 daily 112 reports related to 'noise' were recorded in the Seoul area. A police official said, "Recently, noise-related reports have increased sharply," adding, "About three reports per day are received at each police station." Reports are increasing mainly around major stations such as Gangnam Station and Samseong Station, and apartments located along main roads.

This election is the first to apply the revised Public Official Election Act, which limits noise during the election period. Loudspeakers must not exceed a rated output of 3 kW and a sound pressure level of 127 dB, and portable loudspeakers must not exceed 30 W output. However, in the case of presidential and metropolitan/provincial governor elections, loudspeakers attached to candidate vehicles are allowed up to a rated output of 40 kW and a sound pressure level of 150 dB, and portable loudspeakers up to 3 kW. Violations result in fines of up to 10 million won. Typically, 40 dB is considered everyday noise, and from 70 dB it is as loud as a noisy office, truck, or subway noise. 120 dB corresponds to airplane noise, and above 130 dB is jet engine or gunfire noise, leading to criticism that the election law lacks practicality.

Police and Election Commission Response Also Limited... "Dispatched to the Scene but Campaign Vehicle Already Passed"

It is difficult for the police and the election commission to respond to noise complaints. Campaign vehicles move constantly, making it hard to measure noise on site, and many reports are made even when noise levels do not exceed the standard. A police official said, "By 9 a.m. on the 23rd, two reports had already been received," adding, "When we actually go to the scene, it is often the case that the vehicle has already passed." Another police officer said, "Even if loudspeakers within the legal limits are used, individuals perceive noise differently, so reports can still come in." Even with repeated reports, the response is mostly prior guidance, and actual fines are rarely imposed.

An election commission official also said, "There is no standard for how long we should stay on site to monitor," adding, "We later check whether loudspeakers declared for use were used according to the standards." The election commission approves loudspeakers installed on speech and debate vehicles when companies submit certificates indicating product specifications. Earlier, a man in his 60s was arrested on the 22nd after throwing a metal bowl at Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party candidate campaigning in the Incheon Gyeyang-eul by-election on the night of the 20th, shouting "It's noisy." On the 19th in Jeju, a man in his 50s drove a car into the venue of a public speech by a provincial assembly candidate, complaining about the noise from the campaign activities.