Law banning rallies close to president's residence 'does not conform with Constitution'

The Yongsan Presidential Office in Hannam-dong, Yongsan [YONHAP]

The Constitutional Court of Korea ruled Thursday that the current law which bans a rally within 100 meters (328 feet) of the president's residence does not conform to the Constitution.

According to Article 11 of the Assembly and Demonstration Act, people are prohibited from holding an outdoor assembly or staging any demonstration within a 100-meter radius from the boundary of office buildings or residences, including the presidential residence.

A representative of a labor union was on trial for violating the law after holding a rally about 68 meters away from the Blue House in August 2017.

The representative requested a review of the constitutionality of the law.

The court pointed out that the "area near the president's residence is a wide area" and that it is "unjustifiable to ban all rallies near the president's residence just because there are risks that violent and illegal or spontaneous situations may occur."

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]