Jung Cheong-rae: "We will track the Western District Court rioters to the end... Those involved must be severely punished"

Legislation and Judiciary Committee Holds Emergency Inquiry
on the "Western District Court Violence Incident"

Jeong Cheong-rae, Chairman of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee (affiliated with the Democratic Party of Korea), emphasized on the 20th regarding the "Seoul Western District Court Violence Incident" that "regardless of status or rank, all related parties including the political sphere must be severely punished to ensure that such riots are never even dreamed of again, thereby firmly establishing the rule of law in the Republic of Korea."

After President Yoon Suk-yeol was arrested on charges of leading an insurrection, some supporters broke into the Seoul Western District Court, causing an illegal violent incident. On the morning of the 20th, a day after the incident, police barricades remained damaged in front of the Western District Court in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yong-jun

Chairman Jeong stated at the emergency inquiry of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee held at the National Assembly that morning, "If this incident is taken lightly, the Constitutional Court may also be at risk," and added, "The rioters involved in this Western District Court riot must be tracked down to the end and severely punished."

He pointed out, "The attack on the Western District Court, damaging property, assaulting police officers, and even breaking into the judge's office to find Judge Cha Eun-kyung, who conducted the substantive hearing on Yoon Seok-yeol's arrest warrant, is an intolerable second rebellion incident," and said, "Just thinking about what could have happened if Judge Cha Eun-kyung had remained in the office is terrifying."

He further emphasized, "Under the Criminal Act, those who assist subordinates or are simply involved in riots are subject to imprisonment or detention for up to five years, and according to the Criminal Act's preparatory conspiracy and incitement provisions, those who prepare or conspire to commit rebellion are subject to imprisonment or detention for three years or more."

At the day's Legislation and Judiciary Committee emergency inquiry, Kim Seok-woo, Acting Minister of Justice, Cheon Dae-yeop, Director of the Court Administration Office, and Lee Wan-gyu, Director of the Legislation Office, attended.

Earlier, around 3 a.m. on the 19th, about 100 supporters of President Yoon Seok-yeol broke into the Western District Court after the arrest warrant was issued, damaging internal glass windows and fixtures. They also went up to the 7th floor, where judges' offices are located, to find the judge who issued the warrant, wandering around and committing acts of violence against police officers and journalists. During this process, nine police officers were injured, four of whom sustained serious injuries.

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