‘Minerva’ suspect claims posts were written to help, not hurt

Posted on : 2009-01-12 12:20 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
Suspect wanted to help people alienated from the government not, as the warrant states, to ‘harm the public good’
 following a hearing about the substance of the arrest warrant against him.
following a hearing about the substance of the arrest warrant against him.

After being held at the Korea Correctional Service with the issuance of an arrest warrant Saturday, an individual identified by the surname “Park” and suspected of being the Internet blogger “Minerva” emerged from the court following a hearing the same day on the substance of the warrant and made repeated claims that he wrote his posts because he wanted to help people alienated from the government, including small business owners, individuals and members of the working class hurt in the economic crisis.

With a relatively composed expression, Park stated, “I do not intend to gain economic benefits through these writings, and so I cannot acknowledge any crime.” Park added that he wrote his posts “for the disadvantaged.”

Park even appeared to smile as he said, “There was a problem of unrefined expressions because of the characteristics of the Internet.” He added, “My intentions were pure, but I am sorry for causing disorder.”

Attorney Kim Jeong-beom, who attended the hearing on the warrant’s substance, said, “Mr. Park stated in the hearing as well that he wrote the posts not with the goal of harming the public good, but to reduce the suffering of the people.”

At the time of the warrant’s execution Saturday evening, Park refused to acknowledge the arrest warrant’s characterization of his writings as having “the goal of harming the public good,” saying, “I just wrote the posts according to my convictions. That’s all.”

When asked by reporters if he wrote the posts himself, Park responded that he had indeed done so. Also, when asked if he was proud of the fact that the posts he has written to date have gained credence, he said, “I just wrote out of my own subjective feelings.” With regard to his reasons for misrepresenting his career experience and age, he replied, “I have nothing to say about that.” When asked if he thought he was being unjustly accused, he said, “I really don’t have anything to say about that now,” before leaving the detention center.

Attorney Park Chan-jong, who was present at the hearing on the warrant’s substance, said that as soon as Park heard the news of the warrant’s issuance, he was highly disheartened, saying, “I don’t know what I did so wrong that it has to come to this.”

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]

Most viewed articles