Kim Hyun-bin began his journalism career at Arirang TV from 2012 to 2017, specializing in defense, foreign affairs and the economy. In 2018, he joined The Korea Times, covering society and business, and is currently responsible for embassy affairs.
Return to Cheong Wa Dae ignites debate over protest freedoms
Cheong Wa Dae / Yonhap
By Kim Hyun-bin
As the president prepares to return to Cheong Wa Dae, legal uncertainty is mounting over how to regulate protests and rallies near the iconic compound, also known as the Blue House, which served as the presidential office and residence until 2022.
With a key legal provision restricting demonstrations within 100 meters of the presidential residence now expired, concerns are mounting that protests could soon be legally held directly in front of the Blue House. The constitutional basis for the decades-old restriction was effectively nullified after the Constitutional Court ruled in 2022 that it imposed an undue limitation on basic rights and ordered lawmakers to revise the law by May 31, 2024 — a deadline that passed without action from the National Assembly.
Until now, police had relied on Article 11 of the Assembly and Demonstration Act to prohibit protests near presidential residences. The law was interpreted broadly to cover the outer perimeter of the Blue House, with authorities routinely denying protest permits for areas just outside its northern gate. But following the court’s ruling, the law lost its effect, leaving police without clear legal grounds to prevent gatherings near the site.
Some have proposed using alternative legal tools such as the Presidential Security Act or designating the Blue House as a military facility to impose restrictions. However, such measures are widely expected to spark legal disputes. In one precedent from last December, police attempted to block a protest near the Yongsan presidential residence using a different clause of the demonstration law, only for the court to overturn the ban.
Currently, two legislative proposals aimed at filling the legal vacuum remain stalled in committee. One, backed by a ruling party lawmaker, would allow demonstrations within 100 meters under specific conditions. Another, sponsored by a progressive lawmaker, seeks to eliminate the restriction entirely. The contrasting approaches have delayed consensus and complicated the legislative progress.
Meanwhile, Cheong Wa Dae is adjusting its public schedule in anticipation of the president’s return. Starting July 16, visitor reservations and tour routes will be restricted. All public access to the site will be suspended from Aug. 1 until the president’s return is complete.