Bill to curb anti-China rallies stirs debate over freedom of assembly

Korea’s ruling party has introduced a new bill that would prohibit rallies considered to promote hate or discrimination, in response to an increase in anti-China protests ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s anticipated visit to Seoul later this month. The bill, proposed by Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and 12 other progressives, seeks to outlaw rallies aiming to “incite or promote discrimination or hatred” targeting specific races, nationalities or other groups. This follows a spike in anti-China protests in areas like Seoul’s Myeong-dong and Daerim, where demonstrators have chanted slogans such as “China Out.” Tensions fueled by such gatherings prompted the Chinese Embassy in Seoul to recently issue a safety advisory for its nationals, sparking diplomatic concerns as government officials here prepare for the first visit by a Chinese leader in over a decade for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. Kim, who chairs the Korea-China Parliamentary Union, described the bill as a “minimal legislative safeguard toward a socWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times