Anchor: A minor far-right opposition party on Tuesday voluntarily removed tents they had erected at Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Plaza for their sit-in protests, just before a demolition crew was scheduled to descend on the scene. The move ensured there was no repeat of the violent clashes that occurred the last time the city took down the tents, but the party says it was only a strategic move.
Kim Bum-soo has more.

Report: 

[Nat sound: Our Republican Party protest (Jul. 16)]

The Our Republican Party disassembled its protest tents at around 5 a.m. Tuesday, some 30 minutes before a city demolition team was to descend on the scene. 

The small, far-right political party held an overnight protest around the unauthorized tents in Gwanghwamun Plaza in downtown Seoul.

[Sound bite: Rep. Cho Won-jin - Co-head,  the Our Republican Party (Korean)]
"We will never give away Gwanghwamun Plaza!... The tents subject to the (execution of the administrative order) have disappeared. That is, we have neutralized its execution."

While claiming to have tactically evaded the city's crackdown, the party's leader Rep. Cho Won-jin said he will pitch eight tents at the same location again. 

The minor party briefly re-erected the tents in front of the nearby Sejong Center for the Performing Arts before taking them down again following a warning by city officials. 

The Our Republic Party initially set up the tents in May to aid a sit-in protest, calling for an investigation into deaths that occurred during pro-Park Geun-hye rallies in 2017 following her removal from office earlier that year. 

But the tents have drawn the ire of the city, which says the installation is illegal and inconveniences to the citizens shall not be tolerated.

[Sound bite: Kang Maeng-hoon - Chief, Urban Regeneration Office, Seoul City (Korean)] 
"The nearby police agreed to cooperate in the event of obstruction of official duties. We would like to ensure public authority and strictly make sure the Gwanghwamun Plaza is for our citizens." 

The minor party says the city should respect its rights to assembly and freedom of expression. 

Late last month, a large demolition team organized by the city forcibly removed the tents, clashing violently with party supporters who ultimately re-established the tents shortly after they had been torn down.

Aside from a brief relocation during U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to Seoul late last month, the tents had remained more or less in the same place since May.

Seoul city has also filed an injunction lawsuit to prevent the party from occupying the heart of the city with its protest facilities. It also said that it would sue the party for the 230-million won it spent in preparation for Tuesday’s clampdown.
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News.