Arrest warrant sought for former Busan mayoral candidate over staged assault

Jeong Yi-han, former Busan mayoral candidate of the minor New Reform Party / Yonhap

The prosecution has filed for an arrest warrant for a former Busan mayoral candidate on suspicions of staging an assault on himself in an apparent attempt to woo voters ahead of local elections last month, police said Tuesday.

The police earlier asked the prosecution to seek the arrest of Jeong Yi-han, former Busan mayoral candidate of the minor New Reform Party, for faking an attack by a stranger during a street campaign ahead of the June 3 elections.

The prosecution filed its request for a warrant Friday, according to police officials.

Jeong was seen falling after the driver of a passenger car sprayed a beverage on him while Jeong was greeting commuters in the southeastern port city of Busan on April 27. Jeong was rushed to a hospital where he was diagnosed with a concussion.

At first, the incident was widely seen as an attack on a young politician. Things turned quickly after it was discovered that Jeong and his purported attacker were close acquaintances, and that the hospital he was diagnosed at is run and owned by his father.

A hearing for Jeong's arrest warrant is scheduled for Wednesday.