[Exclusive] Police Increase Safety Fence Stock by 70%... Concerns Over Infringement of Assembly Freedom

All Barrier Trucks Replaced Over 5 Years
Mobile and Folding Safety Fences 'Surge'
Three Opposition Parties Announce Police Budget Cuts

Last weekend, amid controversy over excessive police crackdown on government protest rallies, it was confirmed that the police's stock of safety fences nearly doubled compared to last year. The budget for security police activities and riot squad operations management has also steadily increased. There are concerns that, coupled with the government's tough stance on demonstrations and protests, citizens' basic rights could potentially be infringed.

Safety fences and police officers are stationed near Sejong-daero, Gwanghwamun, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

According to data submitted by the National Police Agency to the office of Mo Gyeong-jong, a member of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, the number of vehicle-type, mobile, and foldable safety fences increased from 696 last year to 1,172 this year. The plan is to expand this to 1,656 next year.

Looking at the details, there are 20 vehicle-type safety fences, known as barricade trucks. Starting this year, all of them will be replaced with new ones at a rate of four per year over five years. The reason given is that the currently held barricade trucks are old, and this is the first new purchase since 2013. The Constitutional Court ruled in 2011 that the installation of barricades was unconstitutional, as it excessively infringed on citizens' freedom of action. In 2018, the police revised the barricade operation guidelines to specify that barricades would not be used at protest sites without violent acts.

The next-generation barricades, mobile safety fences (trailer-type safety fences), increased from 23 units last year to 39 this year. The National Police Agency announced plans to purchase 16 more next year. This equipment is 8 meters wide and 2 meters high, capable of withstanding the force of 50 people. It is typically used to physically block protest participants. Foldable safety fences surged from 653 last year to 1,113 this year and 1,581 next year. Although it was explained that purchases were made due to excessive repair costs from damage during protests, only 8 units were unused this year.

The budget for strengthening security police capabilities has also increased annually. Reviewing the details of security police activities and riot squad operations management, the amounts were 55.65 billion KRW and 69.184 billion KRW last year, 65.926 billion KRW and 74.08 billion KRW this year, and are projected to be 83.058 billion KRW and 79.028 billion KRW next year.

Earlier, on the 11th, the Public Administration and Security Committee held a plenary session to review the government budget for next year, but the meeting was disrupted as issues regarding excessive crackdown on protests were raised. The opposition criticized the police on the 9th for provoking clashes during peaceful demonstrations and deploying riot squads armed with all kinds of suppression equipment, creating an atmosphere of fear. At the scene, Han Chang-min, leader of the Social Democratic Party, intervened to mediate for the safety of police and citizens but was grabbed by the neck and had his clothes torn. The opposition demanded an apology from the National Police Commissioner and measures to prevent recurrence, but Commissioner Jo Ji-ho refused to apologize, stating he "cannot agree at all" with the tough crackdown.

In response, the three opposition parties announced plans to cut the police budget. In a press conference, they stated, "If the National Police Commissioner does not apologize, we will thoroughly scrutinize the entire budget related to the Security Bureau, special duty expenses, and special activity expenses to find ways to prevent public authority from ruling over the people with taxpayers' money."