Police Investigate Seoul Plaza Itaewon Disaster Memorial Altar for 'Violation of Assembly and Demonstration Act'

The police have launched an investigation regarding the Seoul Plaza memorial altar set up by the bereaved families of the Itaewon tragedy and related organizations.

On the 15th, when Seoul City announced the administrative enforcement against the Itaewon disaster memorial altar at Seoul Plaza, police forces were deployed around the Itaewon disaster memorial altar set up at Seoul Plaza in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

On the 24th, the Namdaemun Police Station in Seoul announced that it plans to summon and investigate An Jijung, the chairperson of the Itaewon Tragedy Citizens' Countermeasure Committee, on charges of violating the Assembly and Demonstration Act and the Act on the Management of Public Property and Goods.

The Countermeasure Committee and the Bereaved Families' Council installed the Itaewon tragedy memorial altar at Seoul Plaza without prior notice while marching along Sejong-daero on the 4th of last month. Additionally, they occupied the sidewalk in front of the Seoul Library without a separate report. The police will examine whether these actions constitute violations of the Assembly and Demonstration Act and the Public Property Act.

The bereaved families maintain that they did not violate the Assembly and Demonstration Act. Article 15 of the Assembly and Demonstration Act stipulates that assemblies related to rites such as weddings and funerals or national events can be held without separate notification. They explain that the Itaewon tragedy memorial altar falls under this category. Furthermore, the Bereaved Families' Council stated that due to the lack of cooperation from the Seoul Metropolitan Government, they had no choice but to set up the altar in front of Seoul Plaza, and therefore, it does not constitute a violation of the Public Property Act.

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