Seoul strengthens crackdown on political banners before elections

In an effort to curb the indiscriminate proliferation of political banners, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has strengthened inspections of political banners following the implementation of the Outdoor Advertisement Act on Jan. 12.

The amended legislation now restricts the number of political banners to two per each administrative district — eup, myeon or dong. Furthermore, it mandates the voluntary removal of these banners within 15 days, corresponding to their designated display period.

The enforcement ordinance of the law includes provisions prohibiting the installation of political banners around school zones and firefighting facilities. It also imposes a height limit of less than 2.5 meters for these banners.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government and district offices, Thursday, the city outlined a comprehensive plan to swiftly implement and enforce the revised act.

The current period of intensive inspection and crackdown spans five weeks. It commenced last week and will last until the end of February.

The city will scrutinize restricted areas such as school zones and intersections to ensure compliance with the regulations on the number and size of political banners.

If the number of banners exceeds the stipulated limit, they will be removed based on the most recent ones to be displayed.

Political parties and installers of law-violating banners will initially receive a correction request. If they fail to follow the request, compulsory measures will be implemented. In urgent situations or when there is insufficient time for correction, autonomous districts are authorized to take immediate action.

A compensation system will also be implemented. The district offices will appoint collection compensation agents tasked with retrieving illegal banners. Once removing banners violating the law, the agents will receive compensation for their efforts.

However, with general elections coming up in approximately two months, the city government acknowledged the need for careful consideration. So whether certain activities fall within the bounds of normal party activities will be determined through consultations with the National Election Commission at each level.