Jung Yi-han, the Reform Party's candidate for Busan mayor. [Newsis]
Jung Yi-han, the Reform Party's candidate for Busan mayor. [Newsis]

A fitness trainer implicated in an alleged staged attack involving Jung Yi-han, the former Reform Party candidate for Busan mayor, has admitted to part of the scheme, police said.

The Busan Metropolitan Police Agency said Thursday that investigators determined Jung had orchestrated the incident to gain an electoral advantage in the June 3 local elections.

On April 27, Jung fell after fitness trainer Yun, in his 30s, threw a beverage cup at him near the Guseonadeulmok interchange in Geumjeong-gu, and Jung was later diagnosed with a concussion at a hospital. Suspicions of a staged attack emerged after it came to light that the two men had known each other for more than a decade.

During police questioning, Yun reportedly said he had acted because he "wanted to help" Jung.

Police shifted the focus of their investigation from an election-related assault to a suspected staged attack after reviewing the call records of both suspects immediately following the incident.

Last month, police secured decisive evidence through CCTV footage showing the two meeting and conspiring to carry out the scheme. The suspects are said to have acknowledged most of the facts.

Both men admitted to the scheme in mid-May after police obtained their call records and other evidence. Jung completed his campaign despite the staged attack having been exposed.

"We continued the investigation to secure decisive evidence beyond the suspects' statements," a police official said, adding that the case is expected to be referred to prosecutors around next week as it involves detention.


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