Controversy Over Seoul City Council Member's 'Reckless Remark' Saying "Shoot to Kill" at University Student Attempting to Storm Presidential Office

Lee Seung-bok "Not Acceptable in National Crisis"
Post Deleted After Controversy "Admit Expression Was Excessive"

A current Seoul city council member sparked controversy by posting the phrase "shoot to kill" on social media (SNS) directed at students affiliated with the Korean University Students Progressive Alliance (Daejin-yeon) who were arrested after attempting to break into the Presidential Office. After the controversy, the council member deleted the post.

Lee Seung-bok, a Seoul city council member from the People Power Party representing Yangcheon 4, posted on his Facebook account on the 6th news of the arrest of 16 Daejin-yeon members, writing, "Shoot to kill... seriously shoot to kill. Reason... infiltration of a national security facility."

Members of the Korean University Students Progressive Union (Daejinyeon) were arrested by the police on the 6th while attempting to enter the Presidential Office in Yongsan, Seoul. The Yongsan Police Station in Seoul arrested 20 Daejinyeon members on the spot around 1:10 p.m. on charges including trespassing in a jointly used building.
[Photo by Daejinyeon YouTube capture]

The captured photo included news that 20 Daejin-yeon members attempted to enter the Presidential Office demanding the acceptance of the so-called 'Kim Geon-hee Special Prosecutor Act' but were arrested by the police.

As it became known that the council member used the extreme expression "shoot to kill" toward the students, he faced strong criticism. Some netizens left comments on other posts on his Facebook, urging self-reflection with remarks such as "The council member is committing murder with his words."

As the controversy continued, the council member deleted the post. On the 8th, he explained to Kyunghyang Shinmun, "I thought emphasizing one's claim by entering a national security facility was not appropriate," and expressed his stance that "whether it is the Yoon Seok-yeol administration or the Moon Jae-in administration, the Presidential Office should not be touched." However, he also explained, "I think I was emotional and wrote words I shouldn't have."

Members of the Korean University Students Progressive Union (Daejin-yeon), who attempted to enter the Yongsan Presidential Office during a protest demanding President Yoon Seok-yeol's resignation and a special investigation into First Lady Kim Keon-hee, were arrested by the police on the 6th.
[Photo source: Daejin-yeon YouTube capture]

Earlier, on the 6th, 20 Daejin-yeon students attempted a surprise entry by crossing the checkpoint at the Yongsan Presidential Office. Eleven of them crossed the checkpoint and advanced about 80 meters, staging a sit-in protest before being removed by police and military police. Immediately after being taken into custody, they issued a statement claiming, "The university students' request for a meeting representing the voices of the people was legitimate. The students should be released immediately."

The police applied for arrest warrants on the 8th for 16 of the 20 Daejin-yeon students who were arrested in flagrante delicto, charging them with trespassing on a jointly occupied building and violations of the Assembly and Demonstration Act. The prosecution requested arrest warrants for 10 of them.

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