Police open investigation into damage at grave of opposition leader's parents

ANDONG, South Korea, March 13 (Yonhap) -- Police have opened an investigation into damage inflicted on the grave of main opposition leader Lee Jae-myung's parents, officials said Monday.

The Gyeongbuk Provincial Police launched the probe a day after Lee's main opposition Democratic Party (DP) said the grave of Lee's parents in Bonghwa, 172 kilometers southeast of Seoul, was damaged in a suspected act of terrorism.

According to the party and photos released by Lee, four small holes were dug around the grave mound, and a stone was placed inside two of the four holes. On each of the two stones found, three Chinese characters were written in black, including those meaning birth, light and energy.

Lee wrote on his Facebook account on Sunday he has heard that it was a sort of a shamanistic cursing ceremony where unholy objects are buried at a grave to wish for "the extinction of their descendants and ruining of the family."

"I am very sorry to my parents who suffered insults in the afterlife due to me," Lee said, adding the stones will be removed within several days following a "simple ceremony" according to advice from his seniors.

The Gyeongbuk Provincial Police said a special investigation team comprising 30 personnel has been organized to look into the case.

The team will conduct on-site inspections, analyze CCTV footage, collect witness testimonies to determine the circumstances of the case and establish factual evidence, officials said.

pbr@yna.co.kr
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