Candlelight Assembly Not a Cultural Event

On March 17, the police described the controversial candlelight assembly as an “illegal night assembly” and announced that in accordance with the law against assembly and demonstration, they will judicially handle the hosting of the event.

On this matter, civic organizations clarified their plans to enforce the candlelight assembly by stating, “We cannot endorse the regulation.”

While a peaceful assembly without occupying the roads is illegal, controversy towards the law proceedings is expected as the police do not plan to blockade the assembly or force dispersion.

Officer Han Jin-hee of the Regional Police Headquarters initiated a press gathering on March 17 and announced, “After analysis of the content of a nationwide assembly on March 16, I concluded that it is difficult to consider the gathering as a cultural event,” and added, “In accordance with the gypsy law, the concerned individuals who organized the assembly will be judicially handled.”

The existing gypsy law prescribes all assemblies held after sunset to be illegal except for special occasions. However, cultural, religious, and athletic events are allowed even at nighttime.

For this reason, since March 16, “The Pan-national Movement for the Eradication of Corrupt Politics and Protestation of Impeachment” has changed its assembly name from “pan-national meeting to protest impeachment and expose corrupt politics” to “cultural center to protest impeachment and eradicate corrupt politics” and continued to host the event.

However, it appeared that the decision was made after collecting comments, slogans, and prints from the nationwide assembly held on March 16 and through a summit conference with Director Choi Ki-moon presiding in the morning of March 17.

As a response, National Actions held a press conference and explained, “The event on March 16 was definitely a cultural event, and the comments as well as prints that police questioned were prepared voluntarily by the citizens,” and added, “Regardless of police actions, we will continue to hold the candle assembly until March 20.”

Wan-Bae Lee Jae-Dong Yu roryrery@donga.com jarrett@donga.com