People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy "Yoon Hee-geun, Commissioner of the National Police Agency, Announces Crackdown on Assemblies, a Regressive Move"

The People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD) has criticized Yoon Hee-geun, the Commissioner of the National Police Agency, who announced a ban on assemblies by groups with a history of illegal gatherings.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 19th, PSPD issued a statement citing constitutional provisions that guarantee freedom of assembly and association, stating, "Banning assemblies on the grounds of past illegal activities effectively turns the assembly notification system into a de facto 'permit system,' where notifications can be rejected based on the content or the identity of the notifier."

They also criticized Commissioner Yoon's policy for violating precedents that restrict assembly only when there is a 'clear and present danger.'

Regarding the policy to disperse illegal assemblies disguised as nighttime cultural events on site, PSPD called it "extralegal and unconstitutional."

PSPD pointed out, "The police's idea of arbitrarily judging and strictly punishing event content could lead to prior censorship of various cultural events," calling it "a regressive response reminiscent of the Lee Myung-bak administration."

They emphasized, "The National Police Commissioner does not have the right to regulate assemblies but has the duty to guarantee citizens' right to safely hold assemblies."

Following criticism that the police poorly handled the 1-night, 2-day sit-in protest by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Construction Workers' Union held in downtown Seoul on the 16th and 17th, Commissioner Yoon held an unscheduled briefing the day before and announced a strong crackdown on assemblies by groups with a history of illegal gatherings.

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