Police Track Distributor of Dating Violence Video in Busan Deokcheon-dong: "We Will Punish"

A Couple in Their 20s and 30s Assault Each Other Over Refusing to Show Phones
Man in Video Claims “Distributed Without Consent, Suffering” ... Police Launch Investigation

Dating violence. [Getty Images Bank]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] The distributor of a video showing dating violence in the underground shopping center in Deokcheon-dong, Busan, which stirred the internet, has been punished.

At around 1:13 a.m. on the 7th, a CCTV video capturing a scene where a man in his 20s, Mr. A, and a woman in her 30s, Ms. B, who are in a romantic relationship, assaulted each other due to a dispute over not showing a cellphone, was distributed on the internet, prompting the police to launch an investigation.

Mr. A, who appears in the video, voluntarily appeared at the Busan Bukbu Police Station after seeing his video circulating online and is currently under investigation. The police are also tracking down Ms. B’s whereabouts for questioning.

Mr. A claims that a third party distributed the video without his consent and has expressed damage caused by the spread of the video. Accordingly, the police have mobilized three strong teams to investigate the distribution of the video.

The police view the distribution of videos without the subject’s consent as a violation of the Personal Information Protection Act and believe it is punishable. They plan to thoroughly track down the distributor and impose strict penalties.

On the 10th, a Busan Police Agency official stated, “Distributing videos that can identify an individual without their consent is illegal,” adding, “Even if the parties in the video do not raise an issue, the police’s recognition of the matter allows for punishment under the Personal Information Protection Act.”

Dating violence occurred late at night on the 7th in the underground shopping center in Deokcheon-dong, Buk-gu, Busan, and the video rapidly spread through YouTube and other platforms by the morning of the 10th.

The police believe the video spread initially because an employee of the shopping center’s management office sent it to an acquaintance.

A police official said, “The sharing of CCTV footage by a Deokcheon underground shopping center management office official for employee training purposes the day after the incident is not subject to punishment. However, distribution on social media by a third party unrelated to the management office is punishable.”

Regarding the dating violence, the police stated, “If the parties in the video have injuries from the assault or have a history of hospital treatment, they can be punished for bodily injury.”

According to the police, the incident occurred at 1:13 a.m. on the 7th in the Deokcheon underground shopping center in Busan. The couple had a severe argument and physical fight over not showing a cellphone. An employee working the night shift at the underground shopping center’s management office confirmed the incident via CCTV footage and reported it to the Deokcheon police station before rushing to the scene.

When the employee arrived at the scene, the man had already left, and the woman who was lying down soon got up.

When the employee told the woman, “I reported this to the police,” she firmly requested, “I’m fine, please cancel the report.” The employee immediately called the police to cancel the report. Afterward, the woman left the scene, and the police who were en route reportedly returned to the station immediately.