Jeong Yi-han, the former Reform Party candidate for Busan mayor suspected of staging a fake attack during the June 3 local elections, arrives at the Busan District Court on Wednesday for a pre-arrest hearing. [Yonhap]
Jeong Yi-han, the former Reform Party candidate for Busan mayor suspected of staging a fake attack during the June 3 local elections, arrives at the Busan District Court on Wednesday for a pre-arrest hearing. [Yonhap]

Jeong Yi-han, the former Reform Party candidate for Busan mayor suspected of staging a fake attack during the June 3 local elections, appeared Wednesday at the Busan District Court for a pre-arrest hearing that began at 2 p.m.

Jeong, who faces charges of obstruction of official duties by deception and violations of the Public Official Election Act, arrived at the court at around 1:55 p.m. It was his first public appearance since the fake-attack allegations emerged.

Asked whether he admitted to staging the incident, Jeong said, "I will make all the facts crystal clear in court." When pressed on questions such as whether any compensation had been agreed upon, he avoided a direct answer, saying, "I'm sorry. I will do my best and cooperate sincerely with the investigation."

Person A, identified as the individual who threw the beverage and who also underwent a pre-arrest hearing Wednesday alongside Jeong, requested protection from prosecutors and entered the courtroom through a separate entrance. Judge Eom Ji-a presided over Jeong's hearing, while Chief Judge Shim Hak-sik handled Person A's.

After about an hour of questioning, both were transferred to the detention facility at Dongrae Police Station. A decision on whether to issue the arrest warrants is expected later Wednesday.

Police have been investigating Jeong and Person A on suspicion of fabricating the appearance of a "terror attack" during the election campaign. Jeong claimed that on April 27, while campaigning near the Guseo interchange in Geumjeong-gu, Busan, a passing motorist threw a beverage out of a vehicle window and struck him, causing him to collapse.

Jeong's campaign said at the time that he had lost consciousness while trying to dodge the drink, fallen, and been taken to a hospital, where he was diagnosed with a concussion and muscle contusion. Police grew suspicious of his movements after he was taken to On Hospital — run by his father, Jeong Geun, about a 30-minute drive from the scene — and have since been investigating the relationship between Jeong and Person A, whether the two were in contact before and after the incident, and the possibility of collusion.

Person A is a gym trainer and manager who was acquainted with Jeong. Jeong, who ran for Busan mayor in the June 3 elections, received 27,418 votes, a 1.56 percent share, and lost.


kaf2002@heraldcorp.com