Seoul plans to ban outdoor drinking in Han River parks

In this file photo taken May 14, 2021, people have food and drinks at a riverside park in Gwangjin District, eastern Seoul. Newsis

By Lee Hae-rin

The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to designate public spaces including Han River parks and public transportation as no-drinking zones.

The city government will announce legislation of the revised ordinance on March 24, allowing the mayor and district heads to ban drinking in parks, government offices, public transportation and educational institutions including schools, kindergartens and libraries, the government said, Thursday.

City Council will vote on the revision after the local elections on June 1. If the revision passes, it will take effect six months after the proclamation and those violating the regulation will be subject to fines of up to 100,000 won ($82).

Seoul has been reviewing measures to ban outdoor drinking in these areas, mainly due to growing calls following the death of a university student who had been drinking by the river last April. According to the city's online survey of 1,000 citizens, the majority of respondents supported designating riverside parks as no-drinking zones.

However, those opposed believe the revision limits individual freedom, as seen in an online debate hosted by the city government last June to August. The city government banned nighttime outdoor drinking temporarily at riverside parks last July in response to the spread of the coronavirus, but lifted the measure in November as part of a government scheme to "return to normalcy."

In response, a city government official said that "designating non-drinking zones requires gathering feedback and opinions from experts and citizens," and said that even if the revision is passed, the government will try to ban drinking only in a limited area during scheduled times to avoid excessive regulation.

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