Former Reform Party Busan mayoral candidate Jeong I-han, who was arrested on suspicion of staging a fake attack, was found to have plotted the act to raise his profile in the June 3 local elections. It also came to light that Jeong admitted to the related charges during a police investigation before election day.
According to the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency and the Geumjeong Police Station on the 9th, Jeong and his fitness trainer, identified as A, are suspected of jointly staging the drink-throwing incident that occurred near the Guseo Interchange in Geumjeong-gu, Busan, on Apr. 27. The two were found to have known each other for nearly 10 years.
A police official said, "It appears the two staged the incident to gain an advantage in the election."
At the time, Jeong claimed he collapsed after being hit by a drink thrown out of a car window by a passing driver during a campaign speech. He said he lost consciousness after falling while trying to avoid the drink and was diagnosed at a hospital with a concussion and muscle contusion.
Police launched an investigation based on a report from a member of the campaign. At first, they focused on A, who threw the drink, looking into whether it constituted election interference and the possibility of any backers.
However, during the investigation, police confirmed that Jeong and A had multiple phone calls. They also obtained CCTV footage showing the two together at a gym before the act.
A police official said, "A terror act, by definition, occurs between people who cannot have phone contact," adding, "Jeong even testified that he did not know A."
Jeong, who posed as an attack victim and even submitted a petition on behalf of A, reportedly appeared before police in mid-May and confessed to the act. Even so, Jeong continued campaigning afterward. Wearing a neck brace, he hit the trail and drew attention from the media and the public.
Other controversies followed during the campaign. Jeong held a hunger strike in protest of being excluded from a TV debate, and controversy erupted when he brought a lie detector into the debate venue without permission from the National Election Commission. In the final stretch of the race, a brief disappearance caused an uproar, prompting interpretations inside and outside politics.
After the election, as the police investigation ramped up, Jeong left the Reform Party and then announced his retirement from politics.
Police are also investigating whether there was any quid pro quo, such as a monetary transaction, between Jeong and A. A police official said, "We are also probing whether there was any quid pro quo, including monetary transactions, between the two," adding, "We plan to refer the case to prosecutors next week."