A mob stormed the Seoul Western District Court in the early hours of Jan. 19 after an bench warrant was issued for President Yoon Suk-yeol, marking the first incident of its kind in South Korea since the 1990s. While individual attacks on judges have occurred before, the collective destruction of court property by a politically motivated group is unprecedented in the past 35 years.
“This is the first time in recent memory that such a large group has forcibly entered a court building and caused extensive damage,” an official from the National Court Administration said.
Political and ideological protests targeting courts were more common in the 1980s. In December 1988, around 300 students from Chonnam National University and Chosun University attacked the Gwangju District Court, smashing windows and demanding the arrest of former President Chun Doo-hwan. Chun had orchestrated a 1979 military coup and declared martial law the following year, which led to the Gwangju massacre.
In June 1989, another protest involving about 500 Chosun University students broke out at the same court. The unrest was sparked by the discovery of the body of student Lee Chul-kyu, who had been wanted for violating the National Security Act under the Roh Tae-woo administration, Chun’s de facto successor. Protesters hurled Molotov cocktails and rocks, occupied the building, and unfurled anti-government banners from the rooftop, demanding the repeal of the National Security Act.
Earlier, in July 1958, about 200 protesters stormed the Supreme Court after Jo Bong-am, leader of the Progressive Party, was convicted on espionage charges and sentenced to five years in prison with partial acquittal. Jo was later executed in what is now widely regarded as a case of judicial murder.
Since then, mob actions targeting courts have been rare. Notable exceptions include isolated incidents, such as in August 1997, when a man with a history of mental illness attacked the head of the Suwon District Court’s Seongnam branch with a knife. In 2007, former Sungkyunkwan University professor Kim Myung-ho shot a crossbow at a judge over an unfavorable ruling. More recently, in November 2018, a farmer threw a Molotov cocktail at then-Chief Justice Kim Myeong-su’s vehicle during a one-man protest outside the Supreme Court.
Chun Dae-yup, head of the National Court Administration, visited the Seoul Western District Court on Jan. 19, describing the aftermath as “unprecedented in my 30 years as a judge.” He condemned the attack as a “grave and serious crime” that challenges the rule of law.
Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae has called an emergency meeting for Jan. 20 to discuss measures to prevent similar incidents.
The Supreme Prosecutors’ Office has formed a nine-member task force to investigate the incident, labeling it an “illegal and violent occupation protest.” Police arrested 86 individuals at the scene and established a specialized investigative team led by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. Authorities have pledged to adopt a zero-tolerance policy toward future violent demonstrations. Additionally, the National Police Agency has reinforced security for Presiding Judge Cha Eun-kyung, who issued the bench warrant for President Yoon.
President Yoon, currently detained at the Seoul Detention Center, released a statement through his legal team urging supporters to remain peaceful. “Resorting to violence causes harm not only to the nation but also to individuals,” he said.
Kwon Young-se, interim leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), denounced the riots as “illegal and harmful,” calling for calm. Opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) leader Lee Jae-myung also condemned the actions, describing them as an unacceptable threat to the nation’s legal and democratic order.
