"Independent and Political Newcomers Discriminated Against on Party Banners"... Saebyeon Urges Revision of Outdoor Advertising Act

Amid controversy over the 'Outdoor Advertising Act' that allows unlimited installation of party banners, the 'Association of Young Lawyers for a New Future (Saebyeon)' and the 'Incheon Love Movement Citizens' Council' have called for regulatory reforms, arguing that it discriminates against young and new political candidates and undermines the fairness of elections.

These organizations issued a press release on the 7th stating, "The 'Outdoor Advertising Act,' which completely excludes various regulations such as permits and notifications for party banners, effectively allows unlimited pre-election campaigning for established politicians affiliated with political parties, thereby seriously undermining the fairness of elections by discriminating against young people and new political candidates interested in politics."

They continued, "Appropriate levels of regulation are essential for election fairness. The 'Public Official Election Act' restricts election campaigning through street banner installations even for preliminary candidates during the pre-election campaign period, and strictly limits the entities, purposes, locations, durations, and numbers of banners during the election campaign period. The Constitutional Court has also ruled that restrictions on pre-election campaigning are constitutional, considering issues such as election overheating and confusion, prolonged campaign periods, increased election costs, and difficulties in regulating illegal election activities."

However, the current Outdoor Advertising Act excludes regulations such as notifications for party banners, which are generally guaranteed as part of party activities, effectively allowing unlimited pre-election campaigning and thereby undermining election fairness, they argue.

Specifically, they pointed out that party banners contain extreme slanders, mockery, and policy criticisms, and display major local achievements alongside the names of individuals, causing confusion among voters about who is responsible for the accomplishments.

These organizations stated, "This goes beyond the normal scope of party activities promoting their policies or political positions and directly contradicts the Constitutional Court's judgment that restrictions on pre-election campaigning are necessary to prevent election overheating, confusion, prolonged campaigning, and increased election costs."

They also criticized that the banners are abused for 'name recognition' by established politicians affiliated with parties, such as members of the National Assembly and party district committee chairs (regional chairpersons), causing clear and significant discrimination against independent candidates, party members who are not district committee chairs, and especially young and new political candidates interested in politics.

At the Salt Field Intersection in Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, Yeonsu-gu Office officials are forcibly removing political party banners that violate the 'Incheon City Outdoor Advertising' ordinance. July 12, 2023.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Baek Daeyong, director of Saebyeon, emphasized, "The current Outdoor Advertising Act not only threatens citizen safety but also undermines the fairness of elections, thereby threatening the fundamental values of democracy," and urged, "Regulations related to party banners must be promptly revised."

Meanwhile, as the National Assembly delays legal amendments, local governments have begun efforts to clean up the indiscriminate proliferation of party banners in their regions. In particular, Incheon City amended its outdoor advertising ordinance to allow party banners only on designated display boards and limit them to four per National Assembly electoral district, becoming the first in the country to implement this in June.

Alongside this, the Korea Association of Provincial Governors adopted a joint resolution on the 27th of last month by 17 provincial governors to abolish the provisions related to party banners in the Outdoor Advertising Act. Until the abolition of these provisions, provincial governors nationwide resolved that the Ministry of the Interior and Safety should strictly regulate party banners through enforcement ordinances and take measures such as limiting display locations, durations, and numbers by referring to Incheon City's ordinance.

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