"Pastor Jeon at the Forefront of Destroying Constitutional Order"
The Democratic Party of Korea announced on the 6th that it will file a complaint with the National Police Agency's National Investigation Headquarters against Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church on charges of inciting rebellion and riot.
The Democratic Party's Special Committee for Overcoming Rebellion and National Stability and the Legal Committee held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Office that morning, stating that they intend to "file charges against Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon, who led acts of destroying constitutional order, for inciting rebellion and riot."
In their press release, they pointed out, "Former Sarang Jeil Church Pastor Jeon Gwang-hoon has continuously made statements justifying Yoon Seok-yeol's acts of rebellion following the illegal declaration of martial law," adding, "He defended the illegal martial law through false statements multiple times on his YouTube channel last December."
They continued, "Jeon Gwang-hoon's claim that the impeachment process and the Constitutional Court should be neutralized by force and the president reinstated presupposes that the act of rebellion is justified," and stated, "This is an act seeking public support for the legitimacy and necessity of rebellion, which falls under Article 90, Paragraph 2 of the Criminal Act concerning incitement to rebellion."
They also noted, "On January 18 of this year, a day before the 'Seobu District Court riot incident,' Jeon Gwang-hoon spoke at an anti-impeachment rally in Gwanghwamun, saying, 'We must immediately gather at the Seoul Western District Court to prevent the arrest warrant for the president and invoke the people's right to resist,' and broadcast this live on his YouTube channel," emphasizing, "This was a blatant incitement to neutralize the court's function through collective force," which corresponds to the crime of inciting a riot as stipulated in Article 115 of the Criminal Act.
Senior Supreme Council Member Kim Min-seok, Legal Committee Chairs Lee Tae-hyung and Lee Yong-woo, and Legal Spokesperson Lee Geon-tae of the Democratic Party of Korea are holding a press conference on June 6 at the National Assembly Communication Office in Yeouido, Seoul, regarding the "Accusation of Jeon Gwang-hoon for Inciting Riot and Propaganda of Rebellion." Photo by Yonhap News.
Kim Min-seok, Senior Supreme Council Member of the Democratic Party, said at the press conference, "The seriousness of extremist violent incitement groups has been revealed in the process of overcoming rebellion," adding, "Overcoming baseless claims of election fraud, attacks on the courts and constitutional order, abusive language at public rallies, and the normalization of terror incitement has become the greatest task of democracy."
Kim Hyun, Chairperson of the Public Communication Committee, announced, "Based on daily reports received at the Democratic Police Station, we plan to file charges next week against so-called 'Yeouido faction' members such as YouTube instructor Jeon Han-gil and Pastor Son Hyun-bo, as well as Bae In-gyu, operator of the New Male Solidarity YouTube channel, for inciting rebellion and inciting the Seobu District Court riot."
Regarding former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun sending disciplinary fines to about 30 suspects detained on charges of the Seobu District Court riot the previous day, Lee Geon-tae, the Democratic Party's legal spokesperson, directly criticized, "It is not only highly inappropriate but also evidence that suspect Kim Yong-hyun has not reflected on the crime of rebellion to encourage those who committed unacceptable riot crimes attacking the foundation of the rule of law with disciplinary fines."
Meanwhile, the police have already registered Pastor Jeon as a suspect while investigating the Seobu District Court disturbance. On this day, the Democratic Party added charges and filed a complaint.
Pastor Jeon has rebutted, saying, "When I spoke at the Seobu District Court, I never told anyone to use violence," and regarding the mention of invoking the people's right to resist, he explained, "It is like what was done during April 19 when the country is in crisis."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
