Police block a march by a far-right group supporting former President Yoon Suk Yeol during an anti-China rally near the Chinese Embassy in Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
July 13 (Asia Today) -- South Korean police plan to classify demonstrations involving anticipated hate speech as unlawful gatherings, prompting concerns that officers could restrict freedom of assembly based on unclear or subjective standards.
The National Police Agency is developing a four-tier system for responding to demonstrations, according to a police plan obtained by Democratic Party lawmaker Mo Kyung-jong.
The first two levels would cover lawful demonstrations and distinguish between events based on their potential to cause noise, traffic congestion or other public inconvenience.
The third and fourth levels would cover gatherings considered unlawful, ranging from demonstrations that could cause conflict between groups to events posing a risk of occupations or violence.
