Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
Bill to curb anti-China rallies stirs debate over freedom of assembly
Conservative protestors hold an anti-China rally near Dongdaemun Station in Seoul, Oct. 3, National Foundation Day. Newsis
By Jung Min-ho
Liberal lawmakers push legislation ahead of Xi Jinping’s visit to Korea
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 society of mutual respect and consideration.”
“We are seeing protests openly displaying discrimination and inciting violence, which go beyond constitutionally protected free expression,” he said.
The legislation represents a particularly controversial shift for the DPK, historically known for defending free speech and assembly rights. Civil rights advocates and conservative opposition leaders have accused the party of hypocrisy and opportunism, warning that the bill could suppress dissent and protect foreign interests at the expense of Koreans’ constitutional freedoms.
Rep. Kim Eun-hye of the conservative People Power Party denounced the rival party and the Lee Jae Myung administration for what she described as favoritism toward Beijing, noting that while police are cracking down on protests against China, as instructed by the president, rallies criticizing other countries ― especially the United States ― proceed without hindrance.
“The government and the DPK are only deferential in front of China. While they make a fuss about anti-China protests, calling them hate, they turn a blind eye to anti-U.S. protests,” she said, apparently referring to recent anti-Trump protests held without police disruption near the U.S. Embassy in central Seoul.
Liberal activists hold an anti-Trump protest in front of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, Sept. 9. Yonhap
Kim, the opposition party’s policy deputy representative, said her party would seek to reform policies perceived as favoring certain countries, including the law that allows noncitizens to vote in local elections. Of the 140,000 foreign residents eligible to vote, 81 percent are Chinese nationals, according to the National Assembly Budget Office.
The public is divided over the bill. A survey released on Tuesday by pollster Gongjung Public Opinion found that 47.3 percent of 1,000 respondents support banning rallies deemed to incite discrimination or hate, citing the need to protect social harmony. Meanwhile, 43.1 percent said they oppose the legislation, fearing that it would set a dangerous precedent and severely curb constitutionally protected rights.
Driven by China’s installation of large fixed platforms and maritime structures in the Yellow Sea and high-profile kidnappings involving Chinese perpetrators targeting Korean citizens in Cambodia, anti-China sentiment is seemingly growing in Korea. An online petition calling for the retraction of a visa-free policy launched last month for Chinese group tourists has so far garnered more than 114,000 signatures on the Assembly website, reflecting broader unease about both public safety and foreign influence.
According to Kim Seong-su, professor of political science at Hanyang University, instead of relying on new legal restrictions, the government should prioritize open dialogue and persuading the public through communication.
“I’m concerned that all these efforts to strengthen restrictions will gradually and eventually lead to less freedom for citizens,” he told The Korea Times.