“Even if I go to prison, don’t cry”... Detention warrant hearing for Jeon Kwang-hoon today

[Financial News] The Seoul Western District Court will hold a substantive review of the detention warrant for Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon of Sarang Jeil Church at 10:30 a.m. on the 13th, on charges including incitement to obstruct special official duties.
Jeon is accused of inciting supporters of former President Yoon Suk Yeol to storm the Seoul Western District Court on January 19 last year by exerting psychological control (gaslighting) under the guise of religious faith and by providing financial support to close aides and YouTubers.
After former President Yoon was taken into custody at the time, his supporters broke into the courthouse building in the early morning, smashing property and fixtures and assaulting police officers, among other acts of violence. A total of 141 defendants have been indicted for taking part in the rampage.
Jeon has consistently and categorically denied the allegation that he incited the incident at the Seoul Western District Court. The police’s first request for a detention warrant for Jeon was rejected, but after the charges were supplemented, a new request was filed with the court.
The police also sought a detention warrant for Shin Hye-sik, head of the YouTube channel “Sinihan Su,” who faces the same charges as Jeon, but the Prosecution Service rejected the request.
Facing a warrant hearing a year after the violent incident, Jeon referred to the possibility of being taken into custody even during weekend worship services. At a nationwide Sunday joint worship service held on the 11th in front of the Dongwha Duty Free Shop in Gwanghwamun, Jongno District, Seoul, Jeon said, “Depending on the outcome of next week’s substantive warrant review, I may end up going to prison. I’ve already been three times; why couldn’t I go a fourth?”
He went on to say, “Everyone who goes to prison because God needs them to ends up becoming president. If I go this time, it will be my fourth, and I’ll come back as president,” adding, “Those who have never been behind bars are terribly afraid of it, but those who have been once end up longing to go back, thinking, ‘Couldn’t I go to prison one more time?’”
Jeon also said, “I even thought about recreating my cell from the Seoul Detention Center exactly as it was in Gangwon Province and living there for about a month,” comforting his followers by adding, “If the Lord puts me in prison because He needs to, then even if I do end up in prison, don’t cry.”
gaa1003@fnnews.com Ahn Gaeul Reporter