From Plastic Bags Containing Cheonggukjang to Glass Bottles... Weapons Falling from the Sky

Someone Threw an Object from a High Floor of an Apartment
Pedestrians and Drivers Fear for Their Safety
Perpetrator Hard to Find and Punishments Vary

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] Residents of an apartment complex in Songdo International City, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, have recently felt uneasy whenever they walk along the sidewalks within the complex. This is because there are broken glass bottle shards scattered throughout the area. These shards were caused by someone throwing glass bottles from high floors toward the ground, and such incidents have occurred multiple times already. Although the police responded to residents' reports and arrived at the scene, they have not been able to identify the culprit. The police collected the glass shards and launched an investigation using nearby CCTV footage.

In April, there was also an incident in downtown Daegu where a beer bottle flew onto a moving vehicle, shattering the rear window. The driver reported the incident to the police, and the black box footage clearly showed a beer bottle being thrown from the rooftop of an apartment building. The police recovered the beer bottle and are conducting an investigation including fingerprint analysis. On the 16th of this month, in Busan, a trash bag containing food waste fell onto a vehicle driving on the road. The bag burst upon hitting the vehicle’s hood, covering the front part of the car with food waste such as Cheonggukjang (fermented soybean paste). The driver also reported the incident to the police.

Cases of maliciously throwing trash or other objects from apartment rooftops or high-floor balconies continue to occur. However, it is difficult to identify the perpetrators, and there are few opportunities to catch them in the act, causing difficulties for apartment management and the police. CCTV cameras monitoring high floors or rooftops are often opposed by residents due to privacy concerns, and the installation of nets or safety fences is frequently rejected for aesthetic reasons. From the apartment management office’s perspective, the only measures available are posting notices requesting restraint, making announcements, and putting up banners.

Penalties vary widely depending on the extent of the damage. Such throwing acts are basically subject to fines of up to 100,000 won, detention, or minor penalties under the Minor Offenses Act. If damage is caused to another person’s property and there is intent, the offender may face imprisonment of up to three years or a fine of up to 7 million won; even without intent, there is civil liability for damages. If bodily injury is inflicted on another person, the penalty can be imprisonment of up to seven years or a fine of up to 10 million won; for serious injury, imprisonment from one to ten years; and for injury resulting in death, imprisonment for three years or more, including life imprisonment, which are punishments equivalent to serious crimes.

A police official stated, "Even the lightest object can become a weapon when dropped from a high place due to acceleration," adding, "Depending on the situation, it can threaten a person’s body or life, so citizens must have a mature sense of responsibility to avoid causing harm to others."