Beginning on the 23rd, the government will launch a nationwide enforcement crackdown targeting derogatory and defamatory political banners, applying a zero-tolerance policy that includes mandatory self-removal within 24 hours or immediate forced dismantling.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced the sweeping measures on Nov. 15, responding directly to a surge in contentious displays that target specific individuals with severe personal attacks. The upcoming sweep follows a series of escalating incidents, including a Sept. 10 rally hosted by People Power Party lawmaker Lee Jin-sook in front of the National Assembly main building, where participants displayed a large funeral portrait of President Lee Jae-myung.
During that September demonstration, which featured discussions regarding the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement and remarks from conservative YouTuber Jeon Han-gil concerning alleged election fraud, a rally participant carried the oversized effigy.
While Lee Jin-sook’s office maintained that the display was erected by an individual participant rather than the event organizers, Democratic Party floor leader Han Byung-do and other party members strongly condemned the act, stating that it crossed a line that must not be crossed.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety said that authorities will prioritize cracking down on so-called “variant banners”—subtle or indirect displays designed to bypass existing regulations while still infringing upon the rights and reputations of others. In addition to content evaluations, enforcement teams will strictly apply formal statutory requirements concerning the installation quantity, designated locations, and duration limits of all political signage.
Current regulations mandate that political banners are restricted to a maximum of two per eup, myeon, or dong per political party, and are strictly prohibited inside designated child protection zones. No political banner may remain posted for longer than 15 days.
When violations are identified, local authorities will issue a corrective order requiring responsible parties to clear the material within 24 hours. Failure to comply will result in immediate removal by city, county, and district offices.
Officials confirmed that if victims or multiple citizens file formal complaints, the legality of the disputed banner will be reviewed within 24 hours, followed by a correction request and subsequent removal if ignored. In cases marked by intense social controversy or where local governments struggle to determine legality, the Ministry’s Outdoor Advertising Policy Committee will deliberate and issue guidance.
The government intends to enforce financial penalties, including fines, under relevant laws and administrative procedures. To protect personnel executing these orders, the administration is strengthening legal assistance, including active administrative immunity and the appointment of litigation agents for public officials targeted by lawsuits or criminal complaints.
“The free political activities of political parties must be respected, but banners that violate laws, threaten citizen safety, or infringe upon human rights and the reputation of others can never be tolerated,” said Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Ho-jung.
