By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter
The National Human Rights Commission of Korea put the brakes on the governing Grand National Party's move to legislate a bill to ban people from wearing masks during rallies.
The ``mask-banning law,'' proposed by Shin Ji-ho and five other GNP members, has yet to receive approval from the National Assembly.
``It's desirable to remove the parts that ban people from wearing masks during assemblies as it could overly restrict the freedom of assembly,'' the commission said in a statement.
It also said that the bill is based on a ``wrong presumption'' that mask-wearing people intended to hold illegal rallies. ``The freedom of assembly includes the freedom of attire,'' it said.
Separately, the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD) submitted a petition to the human rights agency, requesting that it lift the ban on the use of the Seoul Plaza by civic groups planning to hold anti-government rallies Wednesday.
The National Police Agency (NPA) and Seoul City have made it clear that they will not allow civic groups and opposition political parties to use the plaza, as it has been reserved by other conservative groups, and there are concerns that the rallies sought by liberal civic groups could turn violent.
In the meantime, police have devised more detailed criteria in determining whether to break up strikes.
``The existing rules have five guidelines on mobilizing the police force in labor-management disputes,'' an official from the NPA said. ``But the revised guidelines broaden the area of police authority and we have adopted nine guidelines to fit the revisions.''
The new rules allow police to intervene in case of urgent requests, based on the possibility of physical danger or heavy property damage, officials said. Police can also exercise authority if a company owner requests a breakup of protesters at a closed worksite, they said.
Officials said the use of authority includes not only mobilizing police forces but also sending warnings.
Unionists at Ssangyong Motor, the country's smallest carmaker, have been staging a sit-in since late last month to protest massive layoff plans by the company, which was put under court receivership in February.