By Park Moo-jong
When it comes to pollution, we are almost always reminded of air, water or noise, all of which are directly related to our living.
Yet, we have been ignoring a deep-rooted evil or public nuisance unwittingly for decades: "pollution of banners on streets."
Banners, dubbed "placards" here, are flooding the streets across the nation, particularly in Seoul, most of which are illegal, while responsible officials are just looking on, with folded arms.
It is easy for one to spot various kinds of banners once one gets out of the house or on th way to work or school every morning.
In particular, Abe government's absurd curbs on Japanese exports to South Korea are contributing to the already serious parade of banners on streets.
"The Republic of Korea shall win." "(We) shall win together with the people." "We shall never lose again."
These are the signature slogans written on banners that politicians, mostly lawmakers of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, put up between street trees at busy rotaries or junctures.
In fact, street banners used to be the "legal" monopoly of politicians ahead of all sorts of elections, including the presidential vote. However, many of the recent banners are illegal.
Lawmakers or those seeking to run in every coming election never miss the opportunity to hang banners in their electoral precincts around specific national or political anniversaries.
Last week a Seoul lawmaker put up more than 10 banners in her constituency reading, "Together with democracy: forever," with photos of the late President Kim Dae-jung and his wife Lee Hee-ho on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Kim's death Aug. 18.
Politicians insist that posting banners is part of the usual protocol of their respective political parties based on the Political Parties Act to publicize their position on political agenda. But banners in places outside of designated areas are illegal, according to a law governing outdoor advertisements.
The law provides that those who want to put up outdoor advisements or others should get the permission of chiefs of related local administrative offices or report them. Only those for events or assemblies for legal group or individual labor or political activities are exempt.
But the recent banner slogans are far from publicity of political parties' policies. For example, a lawmaker put up a banner welcoming people moving in at the entrance of a newly-built apartment complex in his electoral precinct.
Most local autonomous bodies appear to be reluctant or dare not remove the illegal banners posted by politicians apparently to their political influence.
When it comes to banners, the magnificent labor union, "Minju-nochong" or the progressive Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), is second to none.
Visitors to the Korean National Folk Museum in Gyeongbok Palace in the heart of Seoul are welcomed, first of all, by six big banners posted on the stone steps. One of them reads, "The Moon Jae-in government should keep its election pledges."
Foreign tourists were busy taking pictures of the bizarre scenes created by the KCTU at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism demanding "better treatment of non-regular workers (at the ministry)."
The National Museum of Contemporary Art has also turned into an odd exhibition place of the militant trade union's banners. More than 80 similar banners were put up at eight of the 18 office buildings under the jurisdiction of the ministry.
Around the West Seoul Railroad Station across from the branch of the National Theater are about 10 banners greeting travelers. One of them reads: "Dismissal is a murder. We want to live." The KCTU is calling for the reinstatement of National Opera Company members who were fired about 10 years ago.
Unfortunately however, related government offices have been showing a very lukewarm and helpless attitude toward such illegal banners, even though they are literally resolute to take swift action to remove banners posted by ordinary citizens or private companies in violation of the law.
Citizens have no way but to lament the unfairness.
As the law provides, banners or ad signboards can be put up only in places that are permitted by the related local governments. It is not that easy to figure out right now how many illegal banners there are. There must be thousands of them ― to the joy of banner makers.
They are not only an eyesore but a threat to road safety. Most citizens are not interested in such banners posted by government offices or politicians, especially. They are only wasting the precious people's tax money.
Park Moo-jong (emjei29@gmail.com) is a standing adviser of The Korea Times. He served as the president-publisher of the nation's first English daily newspaper from 2004 to 2014 after working as a reporter since 1974.
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Yet, we have been ignoring a deep-rooted evil or public nuisance unwittingly for decades: "pollution of banners on streets."
Banners, dubbed "placards" here, are flooding the streets across the nation, particularly in Seoul, most of which are illegal, while responsible officials are just looking on, with folded arms.
It is easy for one to spot various kinds of banners once one gets out of the house or on th way to work or school every morning.
In particular, Abe government's absurd curbs on Japanese exports to South Korea are contributing to the already serious parade of banners on streets.
"The Republic of Korea shall win." "(We) shall win together with the people." "We shall never lose again."
These are the signature slogans written on banners that politicians, mostly lawmakers of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, put up between street trees at busy rotaries or junctures.
In fact, street banners used to be the "legal" monopoly of politicians ahead of all sorts of elections, including the presidential vote. However, many of the recent banners are illegal.
Lawmakers or those seeking to run in every coming election never miss the opportunity to hang banners in their electoral precincts around specific national or political anniversaries.
Last week a Seoul lawmaker put up more than 10 banners in her constituency reading, "Together with democracy: forever," with photos of the late President Kim Dae-jung and his wife Lee Hee-ho on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Kim's death Aug. 18.
Politicians insist that posting banners is part of the usual protocol of their respective political parties based on the Political Parties Act to publicize their position on political agenda. But banners in places outside of designated areas are illegal, according to a law governing outdoor advertisements.
The law provides that those who want to put up outdoor advisements or others should get the permission of chiefs of related local administrative offices or report them. Only those for events or assemblies for legal group or individual labor or political activities are exempt.
But the recent banner slogans are far from publicity of political parties' policies. For example, a lawmaker put up a banner welcoming people moving in at the entrance of a newly-built apartment complex in his electoral precinct.
Most local autonomous bodies appear to be reluctant or dare not remove the illegal banners posted by politicians apparently to their political influence.
When it comes to banners, the magnificent labor union, "Minju-nochong" or the progressive Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), is second to none.
Visitors to the Korean National Folk Museum in Gyeongbok Palace in the heart of Seoul are welcomed, first of all, by six big banners posted on the stone steps. One of them reads, "The Moon Jae-in government should keep its election pledges."
Foreign tourists were busy taking pictures of the bizarre scenes created by the KCTU at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism demanding "better treatment of non-regular workers (at the ministry)."
The National Museum of Contemporary Art has also turned into an odd exhibition place of the militant trade union's banners. More than 80 similar banners were put up at eight of the 18 office buildings under the jurisdiction of the ministry.
Around the West Seoul Railroad Station across from the branch of the National Theater are about 10 banners greeting travelers. One of them reads: "Dismissal is a murder. We want to live." The KCTU is calling for the reinstatement of National Opera Company members who were fired about 10 years ago.
Unfortunately however, related government offices have been showing a very lukewarm and helpless attitude toward such illegal banners, even though they are literally resolute to take swift action to remove banners posted by ordinary citizens or private companies in violation of the law.
Citizens have no way but to lament the unfairness.
As the law provides, banners or ad signboards can be put up only in places that are permitted by the related local governments. It is not that easy to figure out right now how many illegal banners there are. There must be thousands of them ― to the joy of banner makers.
They are not only an eyesore but a threat to road safety. Most citizens are not interested in such banners posted by government offices or politicians, especially. They are only wasting the precious people's tax money.
Park Moo-jong (emjei29@gmail.com) is a standing adviser of The Korea Times. He served as the president-publisher of the nation's first English daily newspaper from 2004 to 2014 after working as a reporter since 1974.
