"Do You Know Who My Dad Is?" KTX Hamburger Woman, What Punishment Will She Face? [Han Seung-gon's Incident Notebook]

Korail Files Complaint Against Woman for Violating Infectious Disease Control Act and Railroad Safety Act
Rough Protest Against Passenger Ignoring Crew Instructions
"Born Without and Lowly X", "Do You Know Who My Dad Is?" Abusive Language

A woman eating food such as a hamburger with her mask lowered inside a KTX train. Photo by Online Community Capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] A woman in her 20s who caused a disturbance on a high-speed train (KTX) by eating a hamburger and aggressively confronting passengers who protested, saying "Do you know who my father is?" has ultimately been sued by Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL). The charges include violations of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act and the Railroad Safety Act.

The passenger who first reported the woman's disruptive behavior while eating expressed hope that the woman would reflect on her actions and that the issue would not escalate further. However, since a lawsuit has been filed, punishment appears inevitable.

As a result, attention is focused on the severity of the punishment. In particular, ignoring the crew's guidance on quarantine rules and protesting against passengers could lead to prosecution under the Railroad Safety Act, which may result in a trial rather than just a simple fine.

On the 3rd, KORAIL filed a complaint with the Railroad Special Judicial Police against the woman in her 20s for violating the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act by eating food on a KTX train.

The accused passenger, A (27), removed her mask and ate food such as a hamburger and chocolate cake on a KTX train heading from Pohang, Gyeongbuk to Seoul around 6 p.m. on the 28th of last month, and aggressively protested against the crew and passengers who tried to stop her.

Interior view of KTX train
Photo by Yonhap News

◆ Eating a Hamburger on the Train and Causing a Disturbance... What Punishment Will She Face?

Eating food on the KTX violates COVID-19 quarantine rules. KORAIL considers this case a violation of both the quarantine law and the Railroad Safety Act and has filed a complaint against A.

Consuming food or making phone calls without wearing a mask while using public transportation violates quarantine rules. If caught on the spot, a fine of 100,000 KRW is imposed. Additionally, A’s aggressive protest against passengers involves violations of the Railroad Safety Act, which are punished more severely.

For example, in June last year in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, passenger B refused to wear a mask when requested by a station staff member on Line 1 and assaulted the staff. After disembarking, B also assaulted another staff member on the platform. B was ultimately sentenced to six months in prison with a one-year probation.

Meanwhile, C, a man in his 40s who was prosecuted for assaulting station staff and railroad special judicial police officers who responded to complaints about foul odors, was sentenced to one year in prison with a two-year probation. On September 7, 2018, at 5:05 p.m., C spat snacks at station staff and grabbed their collar in the Mokpo Station waiting room in Jeonnam.

C was found to have committed these crimes after judicial police officers who responded to reports of foul odors and verbal abuse toward multiple passengers at Iksan Station’s waiting room and platform requested his identification. The court stated, "The sentence was determined after comprehensively considering the nature and danger of the crime, the circumstances, and the extent of the damage."

In August 2019, a man in his 60s was fined in the first trial for verbally abusing passengers and assaulting crew members on a KTX train. In the appeal trial, he was sentenced to six months in prison.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

◆ "You Can't Eat Here" Despite Crew’s Warning, She Protested... To Passengers: "You Look So Low-Class... Do You Know Who My Father Is?"

This incident, which sparked public outrage after a video showing a woman eating a hamburger on the KTX and aggressively confronting passengers who tried to stop her was released, first came to light on the 28th of last month through an online community post titled "KTX Rude Hamburger Troublemaker Woman."

According to the poster, D, the female passenger A, who boarded at Dongdaegu Station, lowered her mask and ate a hamburger on the train. When a crew member told her, "You can't eat here," and asked her to wear a mask, A ignored the crew member and continued eating the hamburger.

Watching this, D said, "This is a public transportation facility, so if you want to eat, please go outside to the aisle," to which A responded, "What does it matter if I eat here or not?" and said, "You look so low-class, you... Do you know who my father is? I won’t let someone like you get away with this."

Eventually, D posted a video online showing A’s reckless behavior in the train car. Public opinion quickly turned to outrage, with many demanding to find out who her father was.

As the social controversy grew, A sent an apology message to D, saying, "I was very hungry after a series of continuous meetings, and I was indeed very sensitive and sharp. Of course, I recognize that attributing meaning to my personal situation was not the right judgment, and looking back now, I realize my response was immature."

She added, "I sincerely apologize for not strictly following quarantine rules during this sensitive time and am deeply reflecting on my actions. Given the circumstances, I regret how I reacted so strongly and sensitively to what was a very reasonable criticism, and I am once again reflecting on my immature response and behavior."