The South Korean police have applied for an arrest warrant for Kim Byeong-heon, the leader of a civic group that has been demonstrating against the 'Peace Monument', a statue commemorating the victims of the Japanese military's comfort women during World War II. The police announced on the 16th that the warrant was sought due to allegations including violation of communication laws, assembly laws, and defamation. Kim, alongside group members, staged demonstrations at the entrances of high schools in the Seocho and Seongdong districts of Seoul, displaying banners with derogatory messages aimed at the statue and the comfort women it represents.

This protest is especially contentious as it follows criticism from President Lee Jae-myung earlier in January regarding similar vandalism incidents directed at the comfort women statue. In those past protests, Kim and associates have reportedly covered the statue with masks or black cloths as part of their campaign against it. The police have merged their investigation into these activities with ongoing investigations at the Seocho police station, reflecting the serious legal implications surrounding the treatment of this sensitive historical issue.

In another case reported by the police, they confirmed three additional victims in a separate incident regarding the 'motel drug murder case', where a suspect named Kim So-young has been added to the investigations for assault charges. This highlights the ongoing legal challenges related to both public safety and civic activism in South Korea, particularly concerning issues of historical memory and their role in current society.