Prime Minister Kim Min-seok has ordered the police to take strong measures, if necessary, against anti-China rallies.

The prime minister’s office said Friday that Kim had ordered the acting chief of the National Police Agency to closely monitor ongoing rallies that have recently moved from Seoul's Myeondong area to Daerim, a neighborhood with a substantial Chinese population.

Kim called for best efforts to ensure safety and maintain order so that the daily lives of merchants, residents and Chinese visitors are not disrupted or caused undue anxiety, instructing police to take strict action if necessary in accordance with related laws.

Recently, far-right groups have held anti-China rallies and marches in the Daerim area of Seoul.