Police seek warrant for woman who struck mayor

Namdaemun Police yesterday requested an arrest warrant for a 62-year-old woman surnamed Park after she struck Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon’s neck on Tuesday.

Police charged the woman for assault and interfering with a government official’s duty.

The mayor had told police after the incident that he did not want to press charges, but police said they were seeking a warrant because she has been involved in multiple assaults against politicians.

Mayor Park was watching a civil defense drill at 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday with his aides at City Hall Station, when the woman abruptly entered the area and struck the mayor’s neck, yelling, “You red [communist]! Step down as mayor! You’re a lap dog of [late President] Kim Dae-jung!”

The woman, police said, hit Representative Chung Dong-young, former chairman of the Democratic Party, on Aug. 15 when Chung was attending a rally for half-price tuition. On Aug. 8, she punched a female aide to DP Representative Kim Young-hwan in the jaw, and on Aug. 2 punched an aide to DP Representative Chun Jung-bae.

Police said the woman was currently on trial for assaulting Chun’s aide.

By Kwon Sang-soo [sakwon80@joongang.co.kr]