60s Arrested for Tearing 'Pro-Treason People Power Party' Banner: "I Was Angry"

A man in his 60s was arrested by the police for damaging a banner criticizing the People Power Party, which was put up by a member of the Democratic Party of Korea in Ulsan.

On the 24th, the Dongbu Police Station in Ulsan announced that they had detained and were investigating a man in his 60s, identified as Mr. A, on charges of special property damage. Mr. A is suspected of damaging a banner of Kim Taeseon, a Democratic Party lawmaker representing Dong-gu, Ulsan, which was installed on a political banner stand in front of an apartment in Bangeo-dong, Dong-gu, at around 8:30 p.m. on the 18th.

Damaged banner of Kim Tae-seon, Democratic Party of Korea. Kim Tae-seon Facebook

The banner bore the phrase, "People Power Party that supports rebellion, are you not afraid of the people?" It is known that the banner was installed on the 15th. After receiving a report from a staff member of the lawmaker’s office that the banner was torn, the police arrived at the scene and tracked the suspect by analyzing nearby closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage.

During the police investigation, Mr. A stated, "I committed the act using a piece of metal I found on the street," and explained that "it is natural for the People Power Party to support the president, but I was angry because they criticized it." It is known that Mr. A is not affiliated with any particular political party.

The police plan to file charges against Mr. A without detention, investigate him further, and then send the case to the prosecution.

Meanwhile, Representative Kim posted a photo of the torn banner on his Facebook, criticizing, "What was torn to shreds is not simply a banner," and called it "a clear political terror that damaged a democratic means of communicating with residents and seeking social consent."