A court decision has been made to allow a rally near the Oval Office in Yongsan tomorrow (21st), when the Korea-US summit will be held.
The 13th Administrative Division of the Seoul Administrative Court cited part of the application for suspension of execution filed by the Solidarity for Participation in dissatisfaction with the Seoul Yongsan Police Station's disposition to ban assemblies.
The issue was whether the Yongsan Oval Office was a presidential residence under the Assembly and Demonstration Act.
According to the Gypsies Act, assemblies or demonstrations cannot be held within 100 meters of the boundary of the presidential residence.
The court ruled that "the presidential residence as stipulated by the Gypsy Act should be regarded as only a residential space where people conduct daily life other than the performance of their duties."
"It cannot be concluded that the legislator created the presidential residence in legal terms that includes the Oval Office," he added.
However, he said, "It is difficult to rule out the risk of an unexpected situation that deviates from the intention of the applicant, the Solidarity for Participation, and damages public order," he said.
The court allowed the assembly to be held only on the sidewalk and one lower lane in front of the War Memorial of Korea from 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm tomorrow.
The Solidarity for Participation originally reported that it would hold a rally in two lanes in front of the main gate of the Ministry of National Defense and in front of the War Memorial of Korea from 8 am to 10 pm.
This is the second time a court has made a decision to allow gatherings near the Yongsan Oval Office.
The 5th Administrative Court of the Administrative Court cited part of the application for suspension of execution against the police by Rainbow Action Against LGBTI Discrimination on the 11th for the same reason.
(Photo = Yonhap News)