Taxi Company CEO Arrested for Assault and Threats in the Death of Bang Yeonghwan by Self-Immolation

Jeong Mo, the taxi company CEO accused of assaulting and threatening taxi driver Bang Yeong-hwan, who self-immolated and died while demanding the implementation of a full salary system, has been arrested.

Seoul Southern District Court. Photo by Asia Economy DB

On the 11th, Judge Kim Ji-suk of the Seoul Southern District Court, in charge of warrants, issued an arrest warrant during the pre-arrest detention hearing for Jeong, who is charged with violating the Labor Standards Act, the Assembly and Demonstration Act, and insult, citing concerns over evidence tampering and flight risk.

According to the prosecution, Mr. A is accused of assaulting Bang, a taxi driver affiliated with Haeseong Transport, who was conducting a solo protest in March to condemn wage arrears and urge the implementation of a full salary system. Additionally, in April, he allegedly verbally abused Bang, disrupting the assembly, and in August, threatened Bang with a flowerpot as a weapon during his solo protest.

Bang continued his solo protest for 227 days and on September 26, attempted self-immolation on the road in front of the company after dousing himself with a volatile substance, later dying on October 6, ten days after the incident.