'Violation of Public Official Election Act' Jeon Gwang-hoon Appears for Warrant Hearing... "I Only Did Political Commentary"

Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon of the Korea Christian Federation, who is accused of violating the Public Official Election Act, is answering questions from the press as he enters the courtroom to attend the warrant hearing at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 24th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] Jeon Gwang-hoon, chairman of the Korea Christian Federation, appeared at the court on the 24th to undergo a pre-trial detention hearing (warrant substantive examination).

Pastor Jeon arrived at the Seoul Central District Court building that morning and told reporters, "At the rally, I only said things like 'The free right-wing should unite around Hwang Kyo-ahn, leader of the Future United Party, and win the general election,'" adding, "You should not file a complaint just because I made a political commentary." The substantive examination of the warrant for Pastor Jeon began at 10:30 a.m. under the presiding judge Kim Dong-hyun, who is in charge of warrants. The decision on detention is expected to be announced late in the afternoon.

Pastor Jeon is accused of appealing for support for a specific political party at rallies such as the one in Gwanghwamun. Previously, Protestant-affiliated civic groups and the Seoul Metropolitan Election Commission filed complaints alleging that Pastor Jeon appealed for support for a specific political party at rallies. The police combined the two complaints and applied for an arrest warrant on the 20th. The police's judgment is that Pastor Jeon poses a high risk of reoffending since he has already been punished three times for violating the Public Official Election Act and committed the same crime even after a suspended prison sentence was confirmed in October last year.

The substantive examination of the warrant for Pastor Jeon was originally scheduled for the 21st but was postponed to this day after he expressed his intention not to appear. After postponing the hearing once, Pastor Jeon led the 'National Struggle Headquarters for Moon Jae-in's Resignation' (Beomtu-bon) rally in Gwanghwamun on the 22nd and 23rd despite concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). As the overall representative of Beomtu-bon, Pastor Jeon was also accused of leading this rally, violating the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act.