'Moon Jae-in Shoe Throwing' Jung Chang-ok's Side: "Assault on Police Officer Is Nonsense... Rather Excessive Force"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] The Positive Power leader Jeong Chang-ok (57), who threw a shoe at President Moon Jae-in during his visit to the National Assembly, claimed that the assault charge related to his arrest for allegedly attacking a police officer at the Gwanghwamun rally is false, asserting instead that he was subjected to excessive police force.

Jeong Woo-hyeok, Positive Power representative and son of Jeong, held a press conference near Gangnam Police Station in Seoul on the afternoon of the 20th, stating, "On Liberation Day, while walking on the sidewalk toward the Blue House, police officers approached and grabbed leader Jeong Chang-ok. When he tried to break free, even with his right arm in a cast, they pressed his neck down with their knees and twisted his right arm, breaking the cast."

Jeong argued, "The police claim that Jeong Chang-ok, who was wearing a cast, suddenly swung both fists toward their foreheads and necks and threatened other officers for about five minutes, but that is nonsense. How could a person with a cast, barely able to move, threaten strong young officers?"

He added, "We requested the full footage from the police’s body cameras, but they refused. They must lie and destroy evidence to imprison a key figure in anti-government protests, so they won’t provide it."

He also strongly criticized the Seoul Central District Court’s issuance of an arrest warrant on the 18th for Jeong on charges of assaulting a police officer (obstruction of official duties, etc.). Jeong said, "Jeong Chang-ok, who was just walking but was brutally beaten and suppressed by the police, was arrested. This is an era where the law’s scales are deceived by cunning tricks in judgments."

Jeong was previously arrested on charges of obstruction of official duties and trespassing for throwing a shoe at President Moon Jae-in as he exited after delivering a speech at the opening ceremony of the 21st National Assembly on the 2nd floor entrance of the National Assembly main building on the 16th of last month. The shoe thrown by Jeong landed a few meters away from President Moon. At that time, the Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul applied for an arrest warrant for Jeong, but Judge Kim Jin-cheol of the Seoul Southern District Court dismissed the warrant, citing insufficient grounds and necessity for detention.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.