Yoon and allies' empathy toward court attackers under fire

Arrested President Yoon Suk Yeol and prominent members of his conservative faction expressed regrets over the violence during the recent attack on the court that had issued his arrest warrant, but spoke favorably about what they claimed was "understandable anger" about his investigation.

Yoon, in custody and under investigation for leading an insurrection and committing abuse of power, urged his supporters to express their intentions through peaceful means. "I do understand fully many people's resentment and anger," he said in a statement released via his legal team.

The suspended president has controversially stated that he will "fight until the end" as he became the first sitting South Korean leader to be taken into custody on Jan. 15. In multiple messages to his supporters, he has thanked what he called their "patriotism for me and the country."

Members of the ruling bloc spoke against the mob violence at the Seoul Western District Court that took place starting at around 3 a.m. Sunday, which left an estimated 83 injured and 87 arrested. But they have been shifting blame on what they claim to be the "illegal" joint investigation of Yoon and police forces protecting the court.

Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, the floor leader of Yoon's People Power Party, said he is against violence but said the blame for the violence cannot fall solely on the perpertrators. He claimed that the police threw protestors on the ground, kicked cameras and beat them with shields.

The complete extent of the physical violence committed is still unclear, but all of the seven people severely injured in the incident were police officers -- with one officer sustaining an injury that requires three weeks of medical treatment. Multiple reporters were assaulted by the mob and had their equipment destroyed or stolen by them as well.

It was reported that an unidentified passerby, who the rioters suspected was a "left-wing spy," was assaulted by the mob at around 4:39 a.m. The victim shouted, "I'm from Daegu!" -- a stronghold area of the conservative bloc -- as he was beat up, and was seen bleeding as he fled the scene.

Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun of the ruling party, who had been encouraging and rallying the pro-Yoon protesters near the Seoul Western District Court, said right before the court attack that he "thanks these patriotic citizens." "I heard that 17 young people from our side were put in cells for climbing over the (court's security) fencing. I talked to the relevant officials, and I believe they will be released soon," he told the protestors near the Seoul Western District Court directly, which was also livestreamed, Saturday night.

He released a statement on Sunday saying his comments had been about the 17 taken into custody Saturday night, not about the violent attack that followed.

But Rep. Noh Jong-myun, a spokesperson for the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, accused Rep. Yoon of inciting the attack.

"(Yoon) told the (protestors) that they would be released if arrested, when the court was under threat of attack. How is this different from an attack order?" Noh said.

Further, Hwang Kyo-ahn, a former prime minister during the Park Geun-hye administration, said he was "heartbroken over arrest of 86 (protestors)." He vowed to provide pro bono legal services for them, and said he would visit those who "were arrested while protecting the president."