A man in his 50s accused of assaulting a fellow participant at protests near the handball stadium in Seoul's Olympic Park has avoided arrest. The demonstrations have continued since a ballot paper shortage during the June 3 local elections.
Yang Hwan-seung, a senior judge in charge of warrants at the Seoul Eastern District Court, held a pre-detention hearing for the suspect, identified only as A, at 2:30 p.m. on the 25th and rejected the request for an arrest warrant. The court said it was difficult to establish a risk that the suspect would destroy evidence or flee.
A is accused of assaulting another protester with whom he had been in a dispute, including grabbing him by the back of the neck.
Police arrested A at the scene near the Olympic Park handball stadium at around 9:30 p.m. on the 22nd. Police then sought an arrest warrant, and prosecutors accepted the request and filed for the warrant on the 24th.
