Police on the 30th said they will respond strictly to rallies and demonstrations that use hate speech containing discrimination or prejudice against foreign countries or foreigners. The measures were prepared after some groups held protests targeting China and Chinese people, which caused damage to self-employed business owners.
The Korean National Police Agency will determine at the protest-notification stage whether a rally or demonstration targets foreign countries or foreigners with hate speech. It will assess the risk by reviewing the notification details and promotional wording. In areas where clashes are a concern, it will restrict rallies and marches, and if public order is directly threatened, it will ban the rally.
At rally sites, if participants make simple hate expressions toward foreign countries or foreigners, police will repeatedly issue warning broadcasts. If a participant clashes with foreigners, local merchants, or citizens, or deviates from the pre-notified march route, police will block illegal acts. If the situation is serious, participants will be moved or the rally will be dispersed.
Police will strengthen evidence recording of illegal acts and conduct swift investigations to enforce the law strictly. If there is business interference, such as participants disrupting the operations of self-employed business owners, they will analyze closed-circuit (CC) TV footage and recorded evidence and open an investigation.
They also decided to respond actively to "fake news." If they judge that malicious distortion of facts or the creation and distribution of false information goes beyond the scope of freedom of expression, they plan to actively apply the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection and the Framework Act on Telecommunications. The Korean National Police Agency on the 14th launched a "task force (TF) to crack down on the spread of false information," led by the cyber investigation deliberation officer (Senior Superintendent General) as Head of Team.
Current law has no provision that defines or bans the concept of hate speech. The Korean National Police Agency plans to actively take part if the National Assembly discusses related legislation.
The Korean National Police Agency on the 10th reported this agenda item to the National Police Commission. The National Police Commission said, "These measures make all foreign countries and foreigners the subjects of protection." It is seen as mindful of claims by conservative-leaning groups that the aim is to protect only China and Chinese people.