Jongno Police in Seoul on Sunday arrested a man for allegedly assaulting their chief, Park Geon-chan, during demonstrations against South Korea's free trade agreement (FTA) with the U.S. over the weekend.
Police reviewed a video clip of the assault and identified the man, a 54-year-old surnamed Kim, as one of the attackers who punched and kicked Park near the Gwanghwamun area around 9:30 p.m. Saturday. Kim was arrested at his home in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, just south of Seoul.
Jongno Police said they will seek an arrest warrant for Kim and will try to nab other suspects who took part in the attack. They said Kim had previously been questioned by police for throwing a water bottle at a vehicle carrying then U.S. Ambassador Kathleen Stephens during a protest in August this year.
Park was assaulted after getting surrounded by some 100 protesters. Officials at the Jongno station said some protesters tore away Park's insignia on his left shoulder, while others stripped Park of his hat and broke his glasses.
Plainclothes officers escorted Park away from the protesters and he was treated for wounds at a nearby hospital.
The ruling Grand National Party (GNP) rammed the trade pact through the National Assembly last Tuesday. Since then, opponents of the FTA, believing Seoul got the short end of the stick and the deal will hurt local farmers and small retailers, have staged demonstrations on streets throughout the heart of the capital city.
Speaking to reporters after the assault, Park said he was on his way to a meeting with representatives of opposition political parties when he was met by the protesters.
"I feel devastated that I was attacked when I was trying to put an end to these illegal activities that can't be overlooked," Park said, referring to the anti-FTA protests. "I will make sure to penalize illegal actions in accordance with judicial procedures."
Asked why he was in his full uniform amid the protesters, Park said he was simply trying to do his job as the head of the police station in charge of the area.
"I was engaging in proper police activity and there was no reason for me not to don the uniform," he said. "I didn't expect such violence."
After Saturday's protests had ended, the National Police Agency declared that attackers will be punished.
"Based on evidence, we will identify attackers and arrest them," the police agency said in a statement. "Those who hosted the protest will also be severely punished. The police officer who was attacked will file a civil suit for damages."
A police official said the anti-FTA demonstrations have gotten out of control.
"These protests have degenerated into illegal activities as protesters occupied streets and assaulted a senior police officer," the official said. "We will lay down severe penalties and arrest any offenders on the spot."
The presidential office called the incident "intolerable."
"Violence against a uniformed officer is an intolerable issue," a senior presidential official said. "Freedom of expression by protesters is one thing, and challenging government power is another."
The ruling GNP also condemned the violence and called for stern punishment.
"The obstruction of official duties and collective violence are criminal acts that deny the foundation of a state based on the rule of law. They can never be condoned," GNP spokesman Kim Ki-hyun said.
But the main opposition Democratic Party blamed the police officer, saying it was "careless" of him to get in the middle of protesters and create a situation that "appears to have incited violence."
"The government should not use this incident as a pretext to bill legitimate rallies as illegal and respond strongly to them," DP's floor spokesman Hong Young-pyo said. (YOnhap)
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