Starting next year protesters in Seoul will have to pick up the garbage they make during their rallies, the city said on Sunday. Municipal authorities plan to expand to all city districts a regulation that requires protesters to dispose of garbage that they produce. Right now the regulation applies only to Jongro District. Currently when protesters finish their rallies in city plazas or streets without clearing their trash, the district office usually ends up cleaning up the mess.

According to the city's decision, district offices will inform rally organizers of garbage disposal guidelines when they receive their rally applications. Protesters who fail to clean up will be fined up to W1 million (US$1=W930). Illegal rallies that have not been sanctioned by authorities will also be monitored.

Rally organizers will have three options to clear their waste: they can pick up the garbage themselves, hire a private cleaning company to do it or pay the district a disposal fee.

Jongro Disctrict, where protesters gather frequently on streets such as Sejongro and Daehakno, has imposed garbage disposal fees totaling W3.55 million on 13 rallies since April. Seoul city said, "With the expansion of the system, protesters will have more responsibility to clear away their trash after a rally. It will also contribute to establishing an orderly rally culture."

(englishnews@chosun.com )