Scheduled to Pass the Plenary Session on the 9th of Next Month
The amendment to the Outdoor Advertising Act to prevent political party banners passed the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee's subcommittee on the 31st.
On the morning of the same day, the Public Administration and Security Committee held a subcommittee meeting and approved 11 amendments to the Outdoor Advertising Act containing these provisions.
The amendment limits the number of political party banners to no more than two per eup, myeon, and dong units, and requires installation in locations that do not obstruct the safety of pedestrians or vehicles. It also includes provisions for prompt voluntary removal once the installation period expires.
Previously, in December last year, the National Assembly amended the law to guarantee freedom of political expression, allowing banners related to policies or political issues to be displayed and installed without separate notification, permission, prohibition, or restriction.
However, as political party banners proliferated across roads, causing concerns about urban aesthetics and safety threats, both ruling and opposition parties moved to amend the law again.
Kang Byung-won, the Democratic Party member and secretary of the Public Administration and Security Committee, said to reporters after the meeting, "To resolve the issue of excessive political conflict caused by the proliferation of political party banners and the inconvenience caused to the public watching this, the ruling and opposition parties agreed to hold a one-point subcommittee meeting and swiftly pushed for the amendment."
Since the bill has bipartisan consensus, it is expected to be passed at the plenary session on the 9th of next month. Kang explained, "To implement it from January 1 next year, we plan to approve it at the full Public Administration and Security Committee meeting tomorrow (November 1), then get approval from the Judiciary Committee on the 8th, and push for plenary session approval on the 9th."
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