Incheon City Implements Revised Ordinance on 'Political Party Banner Regulations'... Rejects Ministry of the Interior's Request for Reconsideration

Incheon City is the first in the nation to amend and implement an ordinance to regulate the posting of political party banners.

The city announced on the 8th that it will promulgate and enforce the amendment to the Outdoor Advertising Ordinance, which passed the city council last month.

The amendment stipulates that political party banners can only be hung on designated posting boards and limits the number to four or fewer per National Assembly electoral district. It also requires that the banners must not contain hateful or defamatory content.

Earlier, on the 12th of last month, the Construction and Transportation Committee of the Incheon City Council reviewed the ordinance amendment and deleted the key provision regarding posting on designated boards, citing the need for supplementation. However, at the plenary session held a week later, a revised amendment restoring this provision was proposed and ultimately passed.

On the 5th, Incheon City rejected the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s request for reconsideration of the ordinance amendment, citing that the higher-level Outdoor Advertising Act does not contain a delegation clause.

The current Outdoor Advertising Act grants special privileges only to political party banners, which raises issues of fairness, promotes political disgust, and harms citizens’ living environment and safety.

The Local Autonomy Act allows the competent minister to request reconsideration within 20 days after the ordinance is forwarded if the local autonomy ordinance violates higher laws.

Political party banners hung in front of Juan Station in Michuhol-gu, Incheon are obstructing the view.
[Photo by Incheon City]

An official from Incheon City stated, "Current political party banners, which focus more on defaming opponents than on policy promotion, pose many problems regarding fairness, equality, citizen safety, and the creation of clean streets. Despite the central government’s request for reconsideration, the ordinance will be implemented as passed by the council."

The Outdoor Advertising Act, amended last December, does not regulate the quantity, size, or posting locations of political party banners within the "normal scope of party activities," which has led to complaints as these banners obstruct pedestrians’ and drivers’ views, threaten safety, and block signs, thereby interfering with small business operations.

Accordingly, a bill to restrict the installation locations and numbers of political party banners was submitted to the National Assembly’s Public Administration and Security Committee on the 16th.

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