Twelve members belonging to the two major violent organizations in the Busan area were brought to trial for a group assault that took place two years ago in Busan's largest entertainment district. Chilseongpa and Shin 20segi-pa are Busan-based local violent organizations featured in the movie 'Friend,' and they have clashed over dominance from the 1980s to the present.
On the 19th, the Violent Crime Investigation Division of the Busan District Prosecutors' Office announced that five members of the two major violent organizations in Busan were indicted in custody and seven were indicted without detention on charges including violation of the Act on the Punishment of Violent Acts. One fugitive is currently being pursued. The prosecution has been conducting a full-scale investigation after receiving the case from the Busan Police Agency without detention regarding the group violence incident that occurred in the early morning of October 17, 2021, in the heart of Seomyeon, Busan's central district.
A prosecution official stated, "Ordinary citizens witnessed members of these organizations performing '90-degree bows' or collectively assaulting rival organization members in the middle of Busan's largest entertainment district without hesitation," adding, "This was not a simple assault case but an organized and collective criminal group activity that occurred as part of asserting the organization's power."
Chilseongpa, with about 200 members, has held dominance in the local organized crime scene since the 1970s by basing its main income on Busan's entertainment establishments. They have also used this influence to intervene in various vested interests. Shin 20segi-pa, with about 100 members, has relied on arcades in Busan as its main income source since the 1980s and currently operates as part of the 'Ban Chilseongpa' alliance.
A prosecution official said, "Fifteen percent of the nationwide organized crime groups managed by the prosecution are concentrated in Busan, and these two problematic organizations are still active, undermining public safety and causing anxiety among citizens." He added, "By indicting those who were sent to the prosecution without detention in custody, we aim to suppress the activities of violent organizations and send a strong warning message."
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