Park Sang-hak, Who Assaulted Reporters with Bricks and Fired Gas Gun at Police, Heads to Trial

Seoul Dongbu District Prosecutors' Office Indicts on Assault and Other Charges on 25th of Last Month

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] Park Sang-hak, the head of the Free North Korea Movement Alliance, who is accused of assaulting reporters with bricks and shooting a gas gun at police officers, has been brought to trial.

The Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office announced on the 2nd that Park was indicted on the 25th of last month on charges including injury, special injury, obstruction of official duties, and violation of the Firearms and Ammunition Act.

Park is accused of throwing bricks and committing acts of violence against reporters who visited his residence in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on June 23 for coverage purposes.

He is also charged with firing a gas gun at a police officer who was providing personal protection. It was reported that the gas gun firing caused psychological shock.

Earlier, the police applied for an arrest warrant for Park in September, but the prosecution dismissed it.

Meanwhile, regarding the case in which Park counter-sued three reporters for trespassing in a shared residence, the prosecution decided to suspend prosecution for three reporters and cleared one reporter of charges.

The prosecution reportedly made these decisions, including suspension of prosecution, based on the results of the Prosecutors' Citizen Committee.