A missionary with connections to a pastor accused of instigating the Jan. 19 attack on a Seoul court had urged other supporters of the church head to "carry out his orders" four days prior to the assault, a local broadcaster reported Monday.
Yun, a special missionary of controversial pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon's Sarang Jeil Church, posted a video message that claimed "something enormous will happen if we cooperate with Pastor Jeon."
"We must work together and carry out Jeon's orders in our respective positions," he said in the message sent out on Jan. 15, without elaborating on what Jeon's orders were.
Yun was arrested last week for his part in the attack against Seoul Western Court, which issued a warrant for the arrest of President Yoon Suk Yeol on suspicion of insurrection and power abuse. The president is currently undergoing a criminal investigation and an impeachment trial in connection with his Dec. 3 declaration of martial law.
The attack was carried out by supporters of the president, who raided the court after the news about the arrest warrant being issued was made public. They inflicted substantial damage on court facilities and are being blamed for the violence that left scores of police officers and civilians injured.
Yun in particular was filmed lifting the shutters of the court entrance and shouting, "fight together if you support Yoon."
Four days after the attack, he released another video saying that "even one person of Sarang Jeil Church being in (police custody) is saving face (of the church)," apparently referring to another of his special missionaries surnamed Lee, who had been arrested in connection with the court attack. In another video message sent before the attack, Lee said he would "attack if there are orders, without taking a breath."
Police last week launched an investigation into Jeon for allegedly instigating the court attack.
Jeon on last Wednesday denied direct any connection with the special missionaries under investigation, saying he is "not in the same league to talk to those guys."
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com
