'Moon Jae-in Shoe Throwing' Jeong Chang-ok's Arrest Sparks Backlash 'Escalates'... "Evidence Video, Proof of Evidence Tampering"

"Unfair Arrest Due to Evidence Destruction Despite Existence of Surveillance Footage"
Police Officer Who Arrested Jeong Chan-ok and Judge Who Issued Arrest Warrant to Take Legal Action"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] Jeong Chang-ok (57), head of the Positive Power who threw a shoe at President Moon Jae-in during his visit to the National Assembly, is strongly protesting his detention on charges of assaulting a police officer at a rally in Gwanghwamun.

Jeong Woo-hyeok, representative of Positive Power and son of Jeong, said in a phone interview with Asia Economy on the 22nd, "On Liberation Day, Director Jeong did not assault the police," adding, "We are collecting eyewitness accounts from citizens, videos from YouTubers, and nearby CCTV footage, and are considering filing a detention review petition with the court soon." He also said, "We will file an information disclosure request to obtain the police’s evidence footage."

A detention review is a procedure in which the court re-examines whether the suspect’s detention is justified. Jeong said, "Even if there was an assault, the punishment should be given accordingly, but the detention was carried out excessively," emphasizing, "It makes no sense to detain him on the grounds that there is evidence of assault footage and there is a risk of evidence destruction."

Jeong’s side also announced legal actions against the police officers who subdued Director Jeong and the judge who issued the arrest warrant. He said, "If there is evidence proving no assault, we will hold an additional press conference," and added, "If measures such as the detention review are not accepted, as a last resort, we are considering legal actions against the police officers who used excessive force and the judge who issued the warrant."

On the 18th, Chief Judge Choi Chang-hoon of the Seoul Central District Court, responsible for warrants, issued an arrest warrant for Director Jeong on charges including obstruction of official duties, stating, "There is sufficient evidence to suspect the commission of a crime and a risk of evidence destruction."

On the 20th, Jeong also held a press conference near the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul, claiming, "The assault is not true, and rather, excessive force was used by the police." Regarding the issuance of the arrest warrant for Director Jeong, he said, "Jeong Chang-ok, who was just walking, was brutally beaten and subdued by the police as if being pelted with a hail of blows, and now he has been detained," adding, "This is an era where the scales of justice are deceived by cunning tricks."

Previously, on the 16th of last month, Director Jeong was arrested on charges of obstruction of official duties and trespassing after throwing a shoe at President Moon as he was leaving after delivering a speech at the opening ceremony of the 21st National Assembly in front of the main entrance on the 2nd floor of the National Assembly building. The Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul applied for an arrest warrant for Director Jeong, but Judge Kim Jin-cheol of the Seoul Southern District Court dismissed the warrant, citing "lack of substantiality and necessity for detention."

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