Starting Tuesday, police can prohibit rallies and protests in front of the presidential office in Seoul's Yongsan District in order to maintain the flow of traffic.

This comes with the promulgation of revisions to a related enforcement ordinance under the Assembly and Demonstration Act rendering the change effective immediately.

The revised ordinance includes eleven roads on a list of major avenues where the ban could be enforced by the head of a police station in the jurisdiction when deemed necessary for traffic control.

The list includes Itaewon-ro and Seobinggo-ro surrounding the presidential office and the presidential residence, respectively, as well as the intersection near the courts and the prosecutors' office in Seoul's Seocho District.

The list excluded 12 roads where there have been no rallies or where traffic flow has improved in the past five years. It is the first time in nine years that the list has changed. 

Civic groups, including People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, have criticized the revision as part of the administration's suppression of the freedom to choose the location of assembly.