Illegal Banners Blanket Suwon City Before Lunar New Year, Citizens Frustrated
[News S=Reporter Jung Jun-sung] Various banners blanketing Suwon city ahead of Lunar New Year are damaging urban aesthetics and frustrating citizens.
In particular, political party banners, promotional advertisements, and illegal banners are indiscriminately proliferating around intersections, crosswalks, and bus stops, exacerbating citizen inconvenience and threatening safety.
The proliferation of such banners coincides with the period before Lunar New Year. Promotional banners from anticipated candidates for the 22nd general election and various political parties form the mainstream.
Meanwhile, promotional banners conveying Lunar New Year greetings from elected local politicians, councils, and organization heads are appearing throughout the city.
Some are not adhering to the "designated posting board" posting rules specified in the Outdoor Advertising Act amended on January 12.
With such banners occupying prime locations throughout the city, public criticism is mounting. The specifications, designs, and text vary dramatically.
Many even feature provocative phrases and colors that make viewers frown.
In fact, a banner reading "Have a Happy Lunar New Year" installed by Suwon City Council Chairman Kim Ki-jung on an overpass in Uman-dong, Paldal-gu, exceeds 20 meters in length and features distinctive coloring, prompting criticism that it is an eyesore to the city (photo).
Notably, this location is not a designated posting board, raising concerns of potential violation of the Outdoor Advertising Act. Chairman Kim Ki-jung is known to have installed banners at seven locations throughout Suwon.
A Suwon City Council Public Affairs official commented, "Since the chairman installed it personally, we don't know the details," and stated, "The Suwon City Council's Lunar New Year promotional banners, installed at 44 locations throughout the city with a budget of 3 million won, were posted on designated posting boards."
Meanwhile, "subdivision promotion" banners ignoring designated posting board requirements and illegal banners are indiscriminately proliferating throughout the city.
Kim Mo-ssi, a Yeong-tong-gu resident, said, "While banner proliferation is not unique to Suwon, it's embarrassing for a special metropolitan city, and considering returning natives visiting for the Lunar New Year holiday, it's shameful." He added, "I hope the city will eliminate illegality through strict enforcement and improve the urban landscape."
Meanwhile, the "Outdoor Advertising Enforcement Ordinance" implemented since January 12 limits each political party to no more than two banners per eup, myeon, and dong.
Additionally, banners can only be installed in areas that do not hinder the safety of pedestrians or transportation. Political party banner installation is prohibited in children's protection zones and areas designated with no-parking markings near firefighting facilities.
Furthermore, banners must be installed with the lower portion of the banner body at least 2.5 meters high in areas around intersections, crosswalks, and bus stops where there is high risk of obstructing pedestrian passage or drivers' visibility.