Court Allows Minju노총 Yongsan Rally: "Presidential Office Hard to Call a Residence"

On the 13th, the Yongsan Presidential Office viewed from Yongsan-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] The court partially allowed the nationwide public transportation and social service labor union (Gonggong Unsu Nojo) of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (Minju Nojo) to hold a rally near the Yongsan Presidential Office.

The Seoul Administrative Court, Administrative Division 13 (Chief Judge Park Jeong-dae), on the 13th, partially accepted the suspension of execution (suspension of effect) application filed by Gonggong Unsu Nojo against the outdoor rally ban notice issued by the Yongsan Police Station.

The court limited the rally attendance to 300 people but allowed the location and time as originally reported by Gonggong Unsu Nojo.

Accordingly, Gonggong Unsu Nojo will be able to hold rallies by chanting slogans, lighting candles, and performing in front of the main gate and sidewalk of the War Memorial in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, every Tuesday and Thursday at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. from the 14th and 15th to the 21st through the 7th of next month.

Earlier, when Gonggong Unsu Nojo reported on the 8th that they would hold a rally with 499 participants, the police banned it, stating, "The area in front of the War Memorial is within 100 meters of the presidential residence, so it is a place where rallies and demonstrations are prohibited under the Assembly and Demonstration Act."

The court stated, "It is difficult to conclude that the presidential office is included in the 'presidential residence,' which is a prohibited place for outdoor rallies and demonstrations under the Assembly and Demonstration Act," and suspended the effect of the rally ban order.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.