"Unable to Visit, Still in a Coma..." Desperate Plea from the Nephew of the Assaulted Taxi Driver

On the 9th, a photo capturing a post requesting people to join a national petition was uploaded on the online community BobaeDream. The post was made by the relative of a taxi driver who was the victim of an assault that occurred in the middle of a road in downtown Seoul on the 5th.
[Photo by BobaeDream capture]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] A man in his 20s accused of indiscriminately assaulting a taxi driver in his 60s in the middle of a road in Seoul has been arrested, and a post requesting support for a national petition by the nephew of the assaulted taxi driver has been uploaded to an online community.

On the 9th, a post titled "Request from the Nephew of the Taxi Driver Still in a Coma" was uploaded on the online community BobaeDream. The author of the post shared a screenshot of a message from Mr. A, who introduced himself as the nephew of the assaulted taxi driver.

The screenshot contained Mr. A’s desperate plea. He said, "Our uncle is still in a coma and is in the intensive care unit at Chung-Ang University Hospital," and added, "Currently, even family members are not allowed to visit, and it is truly heartbreaking that our uncle is lying alone on Parents' Day, along with our relatives."

Mr. A also shared a link to the Blue House national petition related to the incident and appealed to netizens, saying, "It needs to exceed 200,000 signatures. Please agree to the national petition at least once."

Netizens who saw this left comments saying "I agreed," followed by reactions such as "So sad," "Stay strong," and "Wishing a speedy recovery."

Meanwhile, on the 7th, Judge Seo Bo-min of the Seoul Central District Court, who is in charge of warrants, issued an arrest warrant for Mr. B, a man in his 20s accused of injury and obstruction of official duties. The court explained, "There is reason to suspect that the accused committed the crimes as charged, and there is a risk of flight."

Mr. B is accused of knocking down and assaulting a taxi driver in his 60s who was driving the taxi he was riding in near Nangok Tunnel in Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, around 10 p.m. on the 5th. A video taken by a witness at the time showed Mr. B repeatedly punching the victim’s head and shoulders without wearing a mask. The victim is currently hospitalized with severe injuries, including broken teeth and a laceration on the back of his head.

The assault video filmed by the witness quickly spread through online communities and sparked outrage among many netizens.

On the 5th, a Blue House petition demanding severe punishment for a man in his 20s accused of knocking down and assaulting a taxi driver in his 60s, who was driving the taxi he was riding in near Nangok Tunnel in Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, has appeared. [Photo by Blue House petition board capture]

On the 7th, a Blue House national petition demanding strict punishment for the perpetrator also appeared. The petitioner stated, "I believe strong punishment and appropriate laws must be established to prevent the same victims from occurring," and added, "I ask that everyone recognize that such unjust violence is never a trivial matter, and that the perpetrator be severely punished and made to reflect."

As of the 9th, the petition has garnered about 105,000 signatures.