The first trial of Yoon Mo (57), a special duty pastor of Sarang Jeil Church who has been indicted on charges of trespassing at the Seoul Western District Court, was held on the 14th. Yoon expressed, "I feel remorse for being involved in the violence at the Western District Court," while also claiming, "The cause of the violent incident is electoral fraud."
Director General Park Ji-won of the Western District Court Criminal Division 1 held the first public trial for Ok Mo and Yoon Mo, who are facing charges of trespassing into a special structure, at 3 p.m.
Yoon is charged with breaking into the Western District Court and causing a disturbance in anger over the issuance of an arrest warrant for President Yoon Seok-yeol on Jan. 19. During this process, he is also accused of obstructing public duties by pulling at a police officer's shield and threatening to hit with his right hand, and damaging public property by forcibly raising and bending the court's shutter.
Footage from a YouTube video captured Yoon shouting, "If you are a supporter of Yoon Seok-yeol, fight together. If this continues, President Yoon will die right away."
Yoon, who appeared in a green prison uniform that day, denied most of the charges. He stated, "The reason I went in through the back door is that a Namsung dragged me in forcefully, and the assault on the police officer was not severe." He also claimed regarding the charge of damage to special public property related to the shutter, "I acted to lift the shutter, which was nearly all the way up, with some force after seeing someone trying to come out."
Yoon claimed, "I reflect deeply as a pastor for having been involved in the violence at the Western District Court," but also stated, "If we are to consider why such incidents have happened, it is due to electoral fraud, which is the cause of the state of emergency." Currently detained, Yoon filed for bail on the 13th and mentioned 'electoral fraud' again during the bail hearing process.
The Seoul Western District Prosecutor's Office has indicted 83 people in connection with the disturbance at the Western District Court. The court plans to continue trials for the indicted participants, starting with the first trial for the 23 accomplices on the 10th.