Prosecutors have rejected arrest warrants that police sought for Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church and Shin Ui-han-su YouTube channel head Shin Hye-sik, who are suspected of being behind the Seoul Western District Court disturbance.
According to police on the 17th, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Security Investigation Division applied on the 12th for arrest warrants for Pastor Jeon and Shin on charges of incitement to commit special unlawful entry into a building, incitement to obstruct the execution of special official duties, and violation of the Assembly and Demonstration Act. However, prosecutors that day requested supplementary investigation and did not accept the arrest warrant applications.
After receiving the case records from prosecutors, police plan to conduct supplementary investigation and reapply for arrest warrants for Pastor Jeon and Shin.
Pastor Jeon and Shin are suspected of invoking religious devotion to exercise psychological control (gaslighting) and of funding close aides and conservative YouTubers to instigate the mob disturbance at the Western District Court by demonstrators on Jan. 19.
Pastor Jeon is also suspected of destroying evidence by replacing the office computer inside the church ahead of a police search and seizure.
In January, after an arrest warrant was issued for former President Yoon Suk-yeol at the Seoul Western District Court, there was a violent, riotous protest, and police have been investigating on the view that Pastor Jeon was behind it. In August, police searched and seized Pastor Jeon's residence, Sarang Jeil Church, and the offices and homes of six conservative YouTubers, and in September they additionally searched the office of Pastor Lee Young-han, the senior pastor of Sarang Jeil Church, and Pastor Jeon's daughter.
On the 18th of last month, Pastor Jeon appeared at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency for his first summons questioning and told reporters, "The Western District Court incident has nothing to do with us."