Victim's Side: "Assault Started Claiming to Be Party in Recent Accusation Case... Clear Political Terror"
Candidate Lee Seok-hyung's Side: "Cannot Understand Political Behavior That Incites Hatred and Division"
An assault incident that occurred at an agricultural company in Eomda-myeon, Hampyeong-gun, around 10:30 a.m. on the 3rd. Photo by the victim's side
[Hampyeong=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Chunsu] As the June 1 local elections officially begin, the local community is in turmoil as the father-in-law of Lee Sang-ik, former Hampyeong County Governor of Jeonnam, claims that the assault incident is a 'political terror' and strongly urges the police to conduct a thorough investigation.
Ahn, the father-in-law of Governor Lee Sang-ik, stated in materials distributed to reporters on the 4th, "My husband, Yoon Hansu, former (Nonghyup) cooperative head, was verbally abused with harsh language and assaulted multiple times by Ji and Seo at an undisclosed location in Eomdam-myeon on the 3rd."
Yoon was confirmed positive for COVID-19 and was under self-quarantine there. The incident reportedly began when Ji and Seo, whom he knew, visited him.
The victim's family said that Yoon suggested meeting only after his quarantine ended on the 7th, but they came directly, and during the conversation, Ji and Seo began to swear. They then assaulted him, claiming that Yoon was involved in a recent accusation case (a bribery case currently under police investigation).
Ahn claimed, "They poked my husband's left eye with their fingers, punched his ear area, and repeatedly stomped on him with their feet, inflicting indiscriminate violence."
She added, "The assault on my husband, who is the father-in-law of Governor Lee Sang-ik, cannot be seen as a simple assault but must be regarded as political terror," pointing to the camp of preliminary candidate Lee Seok-hyung as being behind it.
She continued, "Due to this incident, not only my husband but our entire family is in great shock and faces threats to our lives, leaving us overwhelmed with mental trauma and fear, unable to carry on with daily life."
Ahn immediately reported the assault to the police, who are currently investigating.
In response to these claims, the camp of preliminary candidate Lee Seok-hyung held a press conference on the same day, strongly opposing the accusations, saying, "These days, the local political scene is turning into a reckless election."
Jung, who is the head of Lee Seok-hyung's Hampyeong County Governor preliminary candidate election headquarters, stated, "The assault incident involving Yoon has nothing to do with candidate Lee Seok-hyung, yet it is being used to incite hatred and division among the residents, which is deeply regrettable," adding, "Such political behavior only puts Hampyeong County and its residents at greater risk."
He continued, "While strategic elections that exploit opponents' weaknesses are necessary during campaigns, baseless and absurd slanders should not turn the sacred election field into a mudslinging contest," emphasizing, "Candidate Lee Seok-hyung has heard about the assault incident involving former Nabigol Nonghyup head Yoon but is completely unrelated."
He also added, "We understand this incident was triggered by personal emotions among the parties involved, so we cannot understand why a frame is being created linking it to candidate Lee Seok-hyung."
Meanwhile, it is known that they supported the current governor Lee Sang-ik in the 2020 by-election but, ahead of the June local elections, Ji and Seo have started supporting preliminary candidate Lee Seok-hyung.
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