By Lee Kyung-min
Two supporters of former President Park Geun-hye were booked for assaulting journalists at a rally near Cheong Wa Dae, after the Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment of Park, police said Monday.
According to the Jongno Police Station in Seoul, a man surnamed Park, 47, was put behind bars for punching and kicking three journalists near the Constitutional Court, March 10.
Of the three, two, who worked for local broadcaster KBS, sustained injuries that required two-week and three-week hospital treatments, respectively. The remaining one, who worked for the Joongang Ilbo, sustained an injury to his retina after being hit by Park with his glasses on. Park also broke a KBS camera worth 1.1 million won ($963).
Police said Park, who lives in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, came to Seoul to participate in the rally to support former President Park.
Park told police that he was enraged at the media coverage that was heavily biased against the ex-president. He had no record of any similar prior offenses.
His arrest follows a similar incident a month earlier in which another Park supporter was detained for assaulting two journalists with a steel ladder.
Police said the man surnamed Lee, 55, hit two reporters with a steel ladder, in front of Anguk Station near the presidential office, venting his frustration over the court ruling.
He was one of many supporters who gathered near the station to participate in the rally to demand the court overturn the impeachment of Park.
Lee told police he was enraged by the ruling and expressed his overall distrust and discontent toward the media for what he called “biased coverage against Park.”
He was also detained and questioned for sitting in a tent that was illegally erected in Gwanghwamun Square during a support rally.
Six others were also booked without physical detention for similar offenses.