Court: "Presidential Office Is Not a 'Residence'... Nearby Protests Allowed"

The court has once again ruled that protests near the presidential office should not be banned.

The Seoul Administrative Court, Administrative Division 8 (Presiding Judge Lee Jeong-hee) ruled in favor of the plaintiff on the 7th in a lawsuit filed by the civic group Candlelight Victory Transition Action (Candlelight Action) against the Yongsan Police Station chief, demanding the cancellation of the order prohibiting outdoor assemblies.

Candlelight Action had reported on May 21 of last year that they would march from Itaewon Square, passing through Noksapyeong Station and Samgakji Intersection, to Yongsan Station Square. However, the police notified them of the ban on the assembly, stating, "There is the presidential office near the reported location, and under the Assembly and Demonstration Act, outdoor assemblies within 100 meters of the presidential residence are not permitted."

The court ruled, "The presidential office is not included in the ‘residence’ protected under the Assembly and Demonstration Act," and added, "Although the police argue that the presidential office can serve as a residential space in preparation for a national emergency, even if it has some residential functions in exceptional situations, it is essentially an office."

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