The police revealed that they have not yet identified the perpetrator in relation to the incident where someone threw eggs at members of the Democratic Party of Korea holding a press conference in front of the Constitutional Court on the 20th.
A police official noted during a regular press briefing on the 24th that "there are parts that make it difficult to identify the suspect, so the investigation is ongoing." He added, "If they had been witnessed at the time, they would have been apprehended immediately, but there are no exact witnesses."
About 10 members of the Democratic Party's leadership held a press conference around 9 a.m. in front of the Constitutional Court on the 20th, urging the dismissal of President Yoon Suk-yeol. During the press conference, lawmakers Baek Hye-ryun and Lee Geon-tae were hit in the face by flying eggs from the opposite sidewalk, where about 40 supporters of President Yoon were gathered for a one-person protest.
After being hit by the egg, Baek said, "This is something that should not happen in a democratic society," adding that "the hardcore supporters have committed acts of terrorism against members of the National Assembly, a constitutional institution." He also stated on his social media that "the normalization of violence is a reality that can no longer be tolerated in front of the Constitutional Court," and emphasized that "there will be a strong legal response."
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency dispatched a special response team to disperse the protesters immediately after the incident. A dedicated investigation team was formed under the leadership of the head of the Jongno Police Station's Criminal Division to begin the investigation. The investigation team collected eggs and water bottles from the scene and requested a detailed examination from the National Forensic Service. They are also identifying the purchasers of the eggs and water bottles used in the crime based on closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage.
On the other hand, the police announced that they are actively considering applying the ‘Public Threat Law’ against crimes that threaten the Constitutional Court and others, which has been in effect since the 18th. The law stipulates that anyone who makes indiscriminate threats of crime against an unspecified number of people could face up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won.
The police also reported that they are investigating 11 cases and 91 online posts related to threats against the Constitutional Court and that they have apprehended 13 individuals, of whom 2 have been released without detention. Among those cases, 7 were threats against constitutional justices, with authorities identifying 4 individuals who posted threats, and one was investigated. The police also received 6 cases related to fake news and investigated 2 individuals. They stated that they are reviewing records related to an incident of flooding the free bulletin board on the Constitutional Court's website through a program and are conducting an investigation to identify the perpetrator who created and distributed the macro program. Moreover, they are investigating 83 cases and 137 posts related to threats at the Seoul Western District Court.
The police announced that they have also been providing close personal protection to Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung in relation to threats against his life since the 18th. However, there have been no separate investigation requests or tips, and the police plan to gather intelligence and secure leads before beginning the investigation, centering on the first team of the Criminal Mobile Division of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.