The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Monday that it is seeking indemnification for damages against groups calling for suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment to be upheld, saying their unauthorized occupation of Gwanghwamun Square caused an inconvenience to residents.
A total of 1,549 civic and labor groups across the country have formed a coalition to call on the Constitutional Court to confirm Yoon's impeachment, with the court anticipated to announce its verdict any day now. Yoon is also on criminal trial for allegedly leading an insurrection and abuse of power related to his Dec. 3 martial law declaration.
During a protest Monday at Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, the group had a truck enter the northern part of the square to set up a stage.
"(The coalition) illegally occupied (the square) and installed a stage truck, 1,000 chairs and a tent, blocking the path and causing an inconvenience to citizens," the Seoul government said in a press release, adding that imposing a fine for damages is based on the Public Property and Commodity Management Act.
The act states in Article 83 that in the case of unjustified use of public property, the head of a local government may take necessary measures, and any potential restoration costs shall be charged to the offender.
The move follows Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon's warnings via Facebook on Saturday that he would not condone "illegal tents" set up by protesters calling for Yoon's impeachment on roads and streets near the Constitutional Court or at Gwanghwamun Square.
The coalition, however, slammed Oh, who belongs to the suspended president's conservative People Power Party, for bias and political intentions, saying he has not issued any such warnings against the far-right protests by those supporting Yoon. It added Monday's demonstration at Gwanghwamun did not require any restoration as they did not leave any traces of the event in the city-owned area.
The conservative Seoul mayor has issued warnings against pro-impeachment protests turning violent, but is not known to have made any such comments against demonstrations in support of Yoon. This sparked complaints from the opposition, with Rep. Park Ju-min of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea recently accusing him -- unrelated to the current situation -- of trying to intimidate people exercising their constitutional rights of free assembly by gathering and calling for Yoon's impeachment to be upheld.
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com
