韓国、日本大使館前の集会禁止　コロナ感染防止、衝突回避狙いも

　【ソウル時事】在韓日本大使館があるソウル市鍾路区は３日、大使館前の慰安婦少女像周辺での集会を同日から禁止すると発表した。新型コロナウイルス感染防止が目的。ただ、少女像周辺では最近、集会開催をめぐり、慰安婦支援団体と像撤去を求める市民団体の衝突が懸念されており、事態悪化を避ける狙いがありそうだ。
　集会が禁止されたのは、大使館付近一帯の道路や歩道。新型コロナ対策で韓国政府は２月、警戒レベルを４段階で最高の「深刻」に引き上げたが、禁止措置はこの警戒レベルが解除されるまで続き、違反した場合、主催者らに３００万ウォン（約２６万円）以下の罰金が科せられる。（2020/07/03-10:30）

Seoul's Jongno district on Friday banned gatherings around the statue of a girl symbolizing so-called comfort women built near the Japanese Embassy there, with the aim of preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus.
   The district office also apparently hopes the ban will help prevent a clash between a group supporting comfort women, who were forced into prostitution for Japanese troops before and during World War II, and a civic group calling for the removal of the statue.
   The ban on gatherings on roads near the embassy will remain effective until the South Korean government changes its coronavirus alert status, which has been set at the highest level of its four-tier warning system since February.
   Fines of up to 3 million won will be slapped on organizers of gatherings in the area and other violators.
   Every Wednesday, the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, which supports comfort women, has been holding a rally near the statue to protest against the Japanese government.