On March 1st and Liberation Day... 'Simya Pokjujok' Caught in the Act of Reckless Midnight Racing Again

Racing Through Downtown Daegu... 77 August 15th Bikers Caught on Site

Daegu Metropolitan Police Agency arrested a group that repeatedly engaged in reckless driving on downtown Daegu roads during national holidays. Reckless drivers speeding on the road during Liberation Day last year / Photo by Daegu Metropolitan Police Agency

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Nayeon] Motorcycle gangs that race through downtown and cause chaos on national holidays appeared once again on the 77th Liberation Day on the 15th, causing disturbances.

On that day, numerous videos capturing the dangerous reckless driving of motorcycle gangs in Daegu on Liberation Day were uploaded to YouTube and online communities.

The released videos showed some riders shirtless or holding the Taegeukgi flag while riding motorcycles. Most of them were not wearing helmets, and some motorcycles were confirmed to have no license plates.

The gangs appeared around Dongdaegu Station area in Dong-gu, the Duryu Park intersection in Daemyeong-dong, Nam-gu, the Yucheon intersection in Yucheon-dong and Bonri intersection in Bonri-dong, Dalseo-gu, and the Ihyeon Samgeori intersection in Seo-gu.

The Daegu Police Agency announced on the 15th that they arrested 77 reckless riders on the spot for ignoring traffic rules, running red lights, and reckless driving on major roads late at night.

Three motorcycles used for reckless driving were also confiscated, and the police plan to further indict the gang members by analyzing video evidence.

According to witnesses, the gangs continued their reckless driving by moving locations whenever the police arrived.

Earlier, on March 2nd, the Daegu Police Agency had non-custodially indicted 90 people for reckless driving with motorcycles and vehicles on city roads late at night on the March 1st Independence Movement Day.

The gangs were also spotted in Gwangju.

The Gwangju Gwangsan Police Station announced on the 15th that they arrested and are investigating two men in their 20s, A and B, on charges of reckless driving with motorcycles (violation of the Road Traffic Act) around 3:47 a.m. in Suwan-dong, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju.

A and others were found to have engaged in reckless and threatening driving while moving around Nam-gu, Seo-gu, and Gwangsan-gu in Gwangju on Liberation Day. It was confirmed that none of them were driving under the influence or without a license.

Police investigations revealed that they disrupted traffic flow while moving around various parts of Gwangju on Liberation Day.

Last year on Liberation Day, the police indicted 20 reckless drivers who raced through downtown Daegu late at night on motorcycles and vehicles, detaining one of them. However, these gangs gather without fail on national holidays, drawing public ire.

Netizens expressed strong anger and criticism, saying things like "Are they still doing this?", "What a hardship for the police," "Really pathetic," "The police who crack down should be guaranteed strong enforcement of public authority," "I want to push them off the road," and "What crime did the drivers commit?"