Riot police presence to be reduced at rallies, protests
![Members of Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination stage a boarding protest at a crosswalk near a bus stop in Gwanghwamun in Jongno District, Seoul, on March 27, as police manage the demonstration during morning commute hours. [YONHAP]](https://image.koreajoongangdaily.com/12593526.webp?imageId=12593526&width=960&height=666&format=jpg)
Police will reduce the presence of riot squad officers at rallies and demonstrations and grant organizers greater autonomy.
Under the revised policy announced Monday, organizers of assemblies and demonstrations will bear greater responsibility for maintaining order, while police will take a "reactive and supplementary role" focused on supporting order maintenance and ensuring safety.
The chief of the Korean National Police Agency's Situational Intelligence Division, Park Jun-hyun, unveiled the new policy during a forum on improving assembly and demonstration culture at the National Assembly Members' Office Building in central Seoul.
Except for essential needs, mobile police units will be deployed at all times for public safety matters, such as crime prevention and response, and crowd and disaster management, Park said.
“The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency has piloted the new policy since Feb. 19. Although the number of rallies held between February and April was similar to previous years, the deployment of riot police decreased by 62 percent from a year earlier," said Park, adding that there were no illegal or violent protests.
The policy change will be expanded nationwide starting this month, according to Park.
Yonhap
