All Impeachment-Related Rallies are Prohibited Next Month

Starting from April 2, which marks the beginning of the official election campaign of the seventeenth parliamentary general elections, all meetings connected with the presidential impeachment issue are prohibited.

The National Election Commission NEC (chairman Yoo Ji-dam) on March 24 disclosed, “In accordance with the public election law that stipulates that anyone who can affect the election cannot hold a meeting during the election period, all meetings related to the impeachment issue will not be permitted from April 2, and they will take strong measures against those who violates the election law.”

Accordingly, not only can any political meetings such as a protest rally not be held but also any candlelight demonstrations under the pretext of the cultural event in connection with the impeachment of the president.

The NEC on Wednesday sent the official documents containing such contents to two camps which hosted the impeachment-related rallies: “Pan-National Action Demanding for Invalidity of Impeachment and Eradication of Political Corruption” and “Right Choice National Action Defending the Republic of Korea.” The NEC also informed that they will take strong actions according to the election law if they continue to hold the rallies related to the impeachment.

This day the NEC sent an official document to Acting President Goh Kun and requested that the government should block all impeachment-related assemblies from the second day of next month.

Min-Hyuk Park mhpark@donga.com