First Case Among Five Districts in Gwangju
Over 60 Violations Addressed for Noncompliance
Gwangsan-gu in Gwangju has decided to impose fines on political figures who illegally posted party banners during the Lunar New Year holiday.
This is the first time that a district office with enforcement authority has gone beyond issuing warnings and decided to impose fines for illegally posted party banners.
A Gwangsan District Office official is removing illegal political party banners. Provided by Gwangju Gwangsan District Office
According to Gwangsan-gu on the 12th, the district detected and removed 50 party banners that were posted in violation of regulations between January 25 and February 4, before and after the Lunar New Year holiday.
By party, there were 40 from the Democratic Party, 2 from the Liberty Democratic Party, 2 from the Christian Party, 2 from the National Grand Unity Party, 2 from the New Future Democratic Party, 1 from the Basic Income Party, and 1 from the Justice Party.
Party banners can only be posted by the party leader, party chapter chair, or regional chair, but unlike general banners, they do not require local government approval or notification, and their installation locations are relatively unrestricted. Party banners must indicate an installation period of up to 15 days. Most of the banners detected this time either did not display the installation period or exceeded the allowed period.
Other violations included cases where political figures without authority, such as regional chairs, posted banners under the party's name, and where multiple banners were hung in adjacent locations.
The district plans to impose a fine of about 300,000 KRW per banner on those who posted the banners, based on the names or contact information indicated on the party banners. The 26 illegal party banners detected in January this year will also be subject to fines.
Previously, the five districts of Gwangju had been criticized for merely issuing warnings despite rampant illegal posting of party banners during holidays, with some suggesting they were being overly cautious of political circles.
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