President Lee calls incident threat to democracy, rule of law


The government and the ruling party vowed stern enforcement of the law on illegal protests on Monday, denouncing the protesters who assaulted a ranking police officer during a rally against the U.S. Free Trade Agreement on Saturday.

President Lee Myung-bak called the incident against a uniformed police officer “a threat to democracy” in a meeting with senior secretaries, presidential spokesman Park Jeong-ha said.

The chief of Seoul’s Jongno Police Station, Park Geon-chan, was allegedly kicked and punched by protesters during an anti-FTA protest in downtown Seoul on Saturday night.

The National Police Agency said on Sunday that it nabbed one of the alleged attackers and vowed to deal sternly with other attackers and organizers of the illegal protests. Anti-government activists and critics have staged daily protests in downtown Seoul since the ruling party on Nov. 22 rammed the trade pact through the National Assembly despite fierce opposition from liberal lawmakers. Opponents demand the deal be scrapped or re-negotiated, claiming it favors the U.S.

“(The assault) is a crime against the very principle of this country ― the rule of law. The ruling Grand National Party demands a thorough investigation into the attack and stern punishment of whoever is responsible,” said Rep. Kim Gi-hyeong, the spokesperson for the ruling party.

The party also criticized opposition leaders who were present at the rally ― Reps. Sohn Hak-kyu and Chung Dong-young, current and former chairmen of the main opposition Democratic Party, and Rep. Lee Jung-hee, chairwoman of the far-left minority Democratic Labor Party.

However, anti-government groups and opposition parties claimed the police officer may have intentionally provoked the attack.

The DP expressed concerns that the authorities may use the incident as justification to crack down on opponents of the FTA.

Before the attack, the police authorities were criticized for firing water cannon at protesters in sub-zero temperatures.

“We are against violence,” said Rep. Hong Young-pyo, the spokesperson for the largest opposition party. “But we cannot but point out the thoughtless decision of the police officer to walk right into the middle of a protest, which could be seen as him having an intention to create a violent scene.”

A video clip showed that the police officer, clad in full police uniform, walked right into the middle of a crowd of angry protesters. The police officer later explained that he wanted to speak with Chung, who was making a speech to protesters.

Chung, however, said they had no appointment to meet. According to him, a plainclothes police officer approached him, conveying Park’s wish to talk to him, but Chung said he would let them know whom to talk to, because there were other lawmakers too.

“Shortly after the conversation, I climbed onto the stage and heard a commotion. It was Jongno police chief squeezing himself into (the crowd),” Chung tweeted.

By Lee Sun-young (milaya@heraldcorp.com)