Seocho-gu 'Safety Threats and Visual Pollution' Regulation on Political Banners Amendment

Regulations on Installation and Display Standards for Party Banners + Sanctions for Violations Included... Tackling the Proliferation of Party Banners to Ensure Resident Safety and Establish Urban Landscape Protection Standards

Seocho-gu, Seoul (Mayor Jeon Seong-su) is pushing for an amendment to the ordinance that restricts political party banners, which have been controversial due to safety threats and visual pollution.

The amendment establishes installation standards limiting the number and locations of political party banners and creates grounds for sanctions if violated.

The district announced the partial amendment to the ordinance related to political party banners on the 17th and is proceeding with the revision process.

This ordinance amendment is a measure to address the problem of indiscriminate proliferation of political party banners throughout the city, following the Outdoor Advertising Act implemented in December last year, which allowed installation of political party banners without permits or notifications.

The district aims to secure residents' safety for pedestrians and vehicle traffic and to prevent further deterioration of the urban landscape and dignity by establishing strict standards.

In particular, it was judged that banner phrases focused on hate and defamation cause citizen fatigue and visual pollution, and their disorderly and excessive installation on school routes and intersections risks polluting the eyes and harming the emotions of future generations, especially children.

Specifically, the amendment limits the total number of political party banners that a registered party can post simultaneously to two per administrative dong. Banners must be posted in designated locations, and their height must be displayed as at least 3 meters. Phrases involving hate, defamation, or insults are prohibited.

Whether the posting locations and content of political party banners violate regulations will be reviewed and judged by the Seocho-gu Outdoor Advertising Deliberation Committee. If the installation or display regulations are violated, the district may remove the banners or take other necessary measures according to the Outdoor Advertising Act (Articles 10 and 10-2).

The district plans to submit the partial amendment to the ordinance related to political party banners to the district council’s regular session next month after review by the Ordinance and Rules Deliberation Committee.

Meanwhile, the maintenance of political party banners was previously addressed by Incheon Metropolitan City through an ordinance amendment. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety filed a provisional injunction to suspend the ordinance’s enforcement, but the Supreme Court dismissed it in September. In Seoul’s autonomous districts, Songpa-gu recently enacted and promulgated an ordinance banning political party banners with hate, defamation, or insulting phrases.

At the National Assembly, a bill to amend the Outdoor Advertising Act to prevent the proliferation of political party banners has been proposed, and there is public consensus on this issue.

Jeon Seong-su, Mayor of Seocho-gu, said, “Through this ordinance amendment, we hope to protect the eyes of future generations from defamatory phrases on political party banners and relieve residents’ fatigue. While respecting legitimate political activities that meet residents’ expectations, we will do our best as a local government to minimize banner pollution and manage urban safety and dignified aesthetics.”

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