Police said overnight demonstrations in front of the presidential office building in Seoul will be restricted from 6 p.m. until 9 a.m. the following morning.

Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has notified groups holding prolonged rallies near the Blue House of the new measure, the agency’s chief Lee Yong-pyo said Monday. However, the groups said they would continue with the protests.

Parents of students at the Seoul National School for the Blind had filed a petition with the police, asking for the protests to be prohibited. The school is located some 500 meters from the Sarangchae building, just outside the Blue House, where the rallies are being held.

According to police, the parents said the noise caused by the rallies disturbs the visually impaired students, who rely on their auditory senses during classes.

“Police may enforce restrictions if requested by residents or the schools in the area where the rallies are held,” Lee said, explaining that the new measure does not run counter to a 2009 Constitutional Court ruling that found Article 10 of the Assembly and Demonstration Act banning unauthorized demonstrations between sunset and sunrise to be unconstitutional.


By Choi Ji-won (jwc@heraldcorp.com)