Proliferation of Political Banners Threatening Public Safety... Incheon City Launches Task Force for Countermeasures

As safety accidents and complaints caused by indiscriminately hung political party banners rapidly increased, Incheon City has taken measures to address the issue.

On the 3rd, the city announced that it will form and operate a joint banner task force (TF) with 10 districts and counties to ensure citizen safety and create clean streets.

The TF will hold its first meeting on the 16th. At the meeting, it plans to specifically revise the banner installation system to prevent pedestrian safety accidents, propose amendments to outdoor advertising-related laws, and prepare measures such as expanding banner posting facilities.

Additionally, the related banner ordinance supporting these measures will be amended.

According to the 'Outdoor Advertising Act' revised in December last year, political party banners can be installed without restrictions such as reporting, permission, or prohibition for the usual scope of party activities and political issues, resulting in their proliferation in urban areas.

In particular, political party banners are not regulated in terms of number, size, or posting locations, which not only obstructs the view of pedestrians and drivers, threatening safety, but also covers signboards, hindering the business operations of small merchants.

Political party banners hung in front of Juan Station in Michuhol-gu, Incheon are obstructing the view.
[Photo by Incheon City]

The city plans to propose a legal amendment as the criteria for judging the 'usual scope of political party activities' specified in the Outdoor Advertising Act are ambiguous, causing confusion in interpreting the appropriateness of banner content on site.

An official from Incheon City stated, "Indiscriminate banners threaten citizen safety and significantly disrupt the business of small merchants," adding, "We will activate the joint TF of the city, counties, and districts to make Incheon a 'banner-clean city.'"