The Korea Herald

피터빈트

Truck slams into broadcasting firm at center of Park's impeachment

By 김윤미

Published : Dec. 19, 2016 - 21:52

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A truck driven by a South Korean man in his 40s slammed into the main gate of broadcasting channel JTBC on Monday, whose initial reports on President Park Geun-hye's alleged documents leaks led to her impeachment earlier in the month. 

The 45-year man surnamed Kim crashed his 1.5-ton truck into the main entrance of JTBC in Mapo in western Seoul at around 7:25 p.m. apparently in protest of the television channel's reports on Park, according to the police.

Wearing the Marine Corps uniform, Kim tried to break into the gate by driving his truck back and forth some 10 times, but his vehicle was stuck between the doors before the police arrested him at the scene. 

(Yonhap) (Yonhap)

The incident left JTBC's glass doors broken and the door frames warped, but caused no further damage, according to the firefighting authorities.

At the time of arrest, Kim was carrying a letter for JTBC's president and a placard on his truck, which satirically recommended the JTBC head as the next South Korean president. 

The police quoted Kim as saying that "The entire country is in a bind because of (JTBC's) reports on a tablet PC." The police said they will interrogate him to find out the exact motive.

In October, JTBC initially reported Park leaked presidential speeches and other documents to her long-time friend Choi Soon-sil, based on what was assumed to be Choi's tablet PC.

Park was impeached on Dec. 9 after the prosecution said she collided with Choi and other presidential officials to force conglomerates to donate a huge amount of funds. (Yonhap)