By Kim Yoo-chul
An Army major suspected of having a mental illness was arrested Wednesday after a failed attempt to enter Cheong Wa Dae without permission, police said Thursday.
In a statement, Jongno Police Station said an investigation the officer, identified only by his surname Kim, is under investigation.
Kim drove his BMW sedan into a barricade around 10:30 p.m. before being stopped by security guards.
He was immediately taken into custody, and was later transferred to the military police.
An investigator at the police station said Kim asked for a face-to-face meeting with President Moon Jae-in. A DUI test showed he was not drunk, but his colleagues said he has been suffering from a mental breakdown. It was unknown whether he was carrying a weapon.
“There was a problem in communicating with him,” the investigator said.
Kim is scheduled to be discharged from the military in June this year. Cheong Wa Dae said it has no comment to offer about the incident.