Arrest Warrant Requested for Former Busan Mayoral Candidate Jeong I-han Over Alleged Staged Attack

An arrest warrant has been requested for Jeong I-han, a former Busan mayoral candidate for the Reform Party, who is suspected of staging an attack during his campaign for the June 3 local elections.
According to the Busan Geumjeong Police Station, police requested arrest warrants for Jeong and an individual identified as A, who allegedly threw a beverage at him, on July 1 on charges including obstruction of justice by deception and violation of the Public Official Election Act. The prosecution subsequently filed the warrants with the Busan District Court on July 3.
It is reported that the police requested the arrest warrants citing concerns over the destruction of evidence and flight risk.
The pre-arrest interrogation for the two suspects is scheduled to be held at the Busan District Court at 2:00 p.m. on July 8.
The request for arrest warrants comes 67 days after the incident occurred and about a month after the election concluded.
On April 27, Jeong claimed that he was struck by a beverage thrown from a passing vehicle while campaigning near the Guseo Interchange in Geumjeong-gu, Busan, and subsequently collapsed.
At the time, his campaign stated that Jeong had lost consciousness while trying to dodge the beverage and was taken to a hospital, where he was diagnosed with a concussion and muscle contusions.
The police, suspecting inconsistencies in the circumstances of the incident, have been investigating the relationship between Jeong and A, whether they were in contact before and after the incident, and the possibility of collusion.
A is known to be a gym trainer and owner who was acquainted with Jeong.
It is reported that the police have been verifying whether the two colluded in advance, based on evidence of contact between them prior to the incident.
The day after the election, police raided the office used as Jeong's campaign headquarters and questioned campaign staff as witnesses to verify Jeong's condition at the time of the incident and the circumstances surrounding their media response.
Separately, the police are also investigating allegations that employees of an On-Group affiliate, operated by Jeong's father, were mobilized for his election campaign, as well as allegations regarding the fairness of a polling agency associated with Jeong.
In the June 3 local elections, Jeong finished third in the Busan mayoral race, receiving 27,418 votes for a 1.56% vote share.
The Reform Party previously stated that Jeong had already left the party and that they would cooperate fully with the investigation.
A police official stated, "This arrest warrant request is limited to the allegations of a staged terror attack," adding, "We are continuing to investigate the remaining charges."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.