Busan Police Conduct Surprise Search of Organizer for 'Epidemiological Investigation Obstruction' at Gwanghwamun Rally

On the 21st, Busan City requested an investigation... Simultaneous operations at the home of the person in charge on the morning of the 28th

Busan police wearing protective suits conducted a search and seizure of the leader of the Gwanghwamun rally on the morning of the 28th. [Image source=Busan Police Agency]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] On the morning of the 28th, the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency simultaneously conducted search and seizure operations targeting the Busan area leaders responsible for guiding participants at the Gwanghwamun Liberation Day rally in Seoul.

The police secured a list of 177 leaders related to obstructing epidemiological investigations of rally participants and notified the Busan city government. Since receiving an investigation request from Busan on the 21st, they have been conducting investigations into these individuals.

The intelligence teams of frontline police stations in Busan plan to secure evidence such as the leaders' mobile phones through the search and seizure operations.

The police are focusing their investigative efforts on identifying actual rally participants through digital forensic analysis of seized items such as mobile phones. If the passenger lists were deliberately destroyed, charges of evidence tampering will also be applied.

These individuals are suspected of refusing and obstructing epidemiological investigations aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19 by failing to comply with Busan city's administrative order to submit bus passenger lists, despite acting as leaders during the Gwanghwamun rally.

On August 21, Busan city referred 32 leaders who continuously refused to submit the lists to the police for investigation. After preliminary investigations, the police swiftly initiated forced investigations, including search and seizure, within a week of receiving the investigation request.

A representative of the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency stated, "Since COVID-19 is spreading nationwide and this is a very serious time, we are conducting the investigation with a sense of urgency."

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