Seoul City is considering taking punitive measures against President Park Geun-hye’s supporters who installed tents without approval in front of the Seoul City Hall building to stage protests and advocate for the embattled leader.

“Pro-Park civic groups installed some 40 tents illegally in the corner of the Seoul Plaza without getting the city government’s approval, where it is a public space open for all,” said the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s spokesperson Kang Tae-woong during a briefing Tuesday. 

“We are considering taking punitive measures against those groups since they ignored our continued requests to vacate the location from last week, when they moved in to occupy the space without approval,” Kang added.

An association demanding the impeached president’s reinstatement said it plans to install a memorial altar in front of the Seoul City Hall for a staunch Park supporter who took his own life in support of the president on Saturday.

A 61-year-old pro-Park supporter, identified by his surname Cho, jumped to his death from the sixth floor of his apartment in Nowon-gu in northern Seoul last week in an apparent protest of her impeachment.

Seoul City said it has yet to set a specific date to force the pro-Park group to move out and remove illegally installed tents.

By Kim Da-sol (ddd@heraldcorp.com)