4 Men Break Into Ulsan University Female Dormitory on the 2nd
"Screams Heard," "Couldn’t Approach the Door," Expressing Fear
Incidents of Home Intrusion and Murder of Women Like the 'Kim Taehyun Case'
Home Intrusions Surge 59% in the Last 5 Years
"Home Intrusion Is No Joke," "Strict Punishment Needed," Public Outrage
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Public outrage is growing after four men broke into the female dormitory at Ulsan University late at night and caused a disturbance. The crime is being criticized as one that inevitably leaves trauma for the female victims.
Concerns are also rising that crimes against women are becoming rampant, especially following the recent 'Kim Taehyun murder case.' Female students in the dormitory reportedly expressed their fear through social networking services (SNS).
◆ Men break into female dormitory and cause disturbance... "They seemed crazy," victims express anxiety
According to the Ulsan Nam-gu Police Station on the 2nd, at around 12:30 a.m., four unidentified men broke into the female dormitory at Ulsan University.
It is presumed that the four men bypassed the fingerprint recognition system, which is about waist-high, to enter the dormitory. They shouted loudly and knocked on dormitory doors, causing a disturbance for about 15 to 20 minutes before fleeing.
The police are tracking the suspects based on footage recorded by closed-circuit television (CCTV) installed inside and around the dormitory. The police have confirmed the identities of the four suspects and plan to summon them for questioning soon.
After the disturbance, posts from the female victims explaining the situation were uploaded on SNS and online communities related to Ulsan University. The students shared their fear, saying things like, "They broke into the female dormitory at night, knocked on doors, and shouted; they really seemed crazy," "It was seriously scary, and I was so startled that I couldn't even go near the door," and "They shouted things like 'Angkimotti' and 'The elephant is stomping' while wandering around."
Four unidentified men are suspected of breaking into the dormitory by bypassing the security system. The dormitory in the photo is not related to any specific expression in the article. / Photo by Yonhap News
◆Home invasion crimes threaten the place that should be safest
This disturbance incident occurred after the so-called 'Kim Taehyun case,' where a man murdered a mother and her two daughters in an apartment in Nowon-gu, Seoul, intensifying women's anxiety.
On March 23rd at around 5:30 p.m., Kim Taehyun broke into an apartment in Nowon-gu, Seoul, and killed three family members?a mother and her two daughters. It is reported that Kim Taehyun had met the eldest daughter through an online game and asked to date her, but after being rejected, he committed the crime.
At the time of the crime, Kim Taehyun had prepared a weapon in advance and meticulously planned the crime, including disguising his identity. He also disguised himself as a quick service delivery worker to pass the security guard, showing a calculated approach.
Home invasion crimes are serious violent crimes because it is unknown what the intruder might do once inside the home. Moreover, victims may suffer more severe psychological damage as they continuously feel unsafe in what should be their safest place?their residence.
Women are outraged. Even if they are not directly exposed to crime, they criticize the reality where fear and anxiety about becoming victims anytime and anywhere do not disappear.
A netizen who identified herself as a female university student wrote on a university-related SNS, "It is frightening that such an incident happened in the campus dormitory, but what is even more terrible is that the intruders could have committed a more serious crime if they had intended to," adding, "Do we have to live with this anxiety just because we are female students? I do not even ask for real names or face disclosure, but I strongly urge strict punishment for the intruding men."
Another netizen said, "This is no joke. It could lead to sexual assault or even murder, which are serious crimes," and added, "I hope they receive the appropriate punishment."
Suspect Kim Taehyun, accused of breaking into an apartment in Nowon-gu, Seoul, and killing three women from the same family, is revealing his face on the 9th at Dobong Police Station in Seoul before being sent to the prosecution. / Photo by Kang Jinhyung aymsdream@
◆"More than 26 home invasions occur daily on average... urgent measures needed"
Home invasion crimes continue to increase. According to data submitted by the National Police Agency to Kim Young-bae, a member of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, in September last year, home invasions surged by 59.1% over five years, from 7,721 cases in 2015 to 12,287 cases in 2019.
Rep. Kim pointed out, "A home is the most private and safest space, and violating it threatens the right to live," adding, "More than 26 home invasion crimes occur daily on average, increasing citizens' anxiety."
He emphasized, "The police must strictly crack down on the continuously increasing home invasions and prepare urgent measures for crime prevention."
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