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Politicizing Seoul Plaza

Courts to decide on usage of square

A plaza in the heart of Seoul has become a point of contention between Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and the opposition-dominated city council. The two sides are squabbling about whether the city has the right to approve who should and should not use the grassy square. The divisive issue is one of many outstanding cases whereby politicians, including Mayor Oh, are resorting to the courts for a solution.

The mayor vetoed the council's decision to allow the public to use Seoul Plaza on a first-come-first-served basis. The council overrode the veto and plans to promulgate the decree. In return, the mayor will refer the case to the courts this month. Oh said the plaza must be a place for cultural events, not for political events, including demonstrations and rallies.

The second-term mayor faces an uphill battle in running Seoul as more than two-thirds of the council consists of members of the opposition Democratic Party.

The mayor has the right to appeal to the highest court to review whether the council's decision is against the law. The city contends that public property, including the plaza and the park, must be subject to approval for peaceful use. The mayor says that except for a few countries, the majority of major countries ask any group to receive approval for using public property.

Progressive and liberal NGOs derided the mayor’s move. They say it is unconstitutional for the city to block political events. They urged the mayor to guarantee the right to rallies and demonstrations stipulated in the law and the Constitution. They criticize the mayor for seeking to control the basic freedom and to stand above the legislative council.

Use of the plaza has already inconvenienced pedestrians and blocked traffic. Frequent political events will add to discomfort for tourists. Violent demonstrations might also mar the national image. The concerns seem convincing especially ahead of the G20 Seoul Summit in November.

The plaza was both a Mecca for street cheering in the 2002 Word Cup and the site of 40-day protests against the nation’s resumption of U.S. beef imports.

The issue is a highly polarized one.
A Gallup poll of 1,000 people showed that 52.9 percent back the council's decision.

An alternative would be scrapping the approval system in return for establishing ways of preventing unruly and violent demonstrations at the plaza. It should be a place where visitors can relax.

As the two sides — the executive and legislative branches of the Seoul Metropolitan Government — are at odds, the courts will make a final judgment.

Politics exists to draw a common denominator of the people on crucial issues through deliberation and compromise. That is the reason why voters pick elected officials for an indirect and representative democracy.

Politicians frequently relinquish their intrinsic rights and refer contentious issues to the courts for judgment. In the process, they unwittingly place them below the courts.

The executive, the judiciary and the legislative branches are equal pillars of a democratic society.

Excerpt from Koreatimes
Source: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2010/09/137_73383.html

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