Disturbing Video Of Teen Physically Assaulting Elderly Man Enrages South Korea

The police initially didn’t launch an investigation.

Content Warning

This article includes descriptions of violence that may disturb some readers.

A video of a high school student physically attacking a security guard in his 60s has caused widespread outrage in South Korea. Owing to this public furor, the police finally launched an investigation on the matter on Monday, January 15, KST.

The Nambu Police Station in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, is in the process of questioning the suspected teenage attacker. According to reports, on January 12, the security guard scolded the accused and his friends for causing a disturbance at a commercial complex in Dasan-dong, which possibly led to the assault.

Reports stated that the suspect hit the security guard multiple times, including kicking and tackling him to the ground. The teen blew a punch so strong to the man’s face that he eventually lost consciousness.

Initially, the authorities decided against investigating the case since the victim said he did not want to press charges. Since in South Korea, assault is one of those crimes that cannot be punished without a victim’s complaint, the police could not go forward.

But the attack, which was filmed by the suspect’s friend and spread on social media, went viral nationwide, causing major public outrage. Officials were forced to take up the case again and decided to investigate the teen on charges of inflicting bodily injury on another, which is a crime that can be punished without a complainant.

The friend who posted the video online claimed that it was a “sparring match.” suggested by the victim himself, and that the victim asked them to film it as well.

Upon questioning, the suspect reportedly told the police that he deeply regretted his actions. Meanwhile, officials are investigating whether the fight and the filming took place with the consent of both parties.

Source: Hankyoreh

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