"Parent of Attacking Middle School Student Apologizes," Police Announce, Bae Hyunjin Says "No Apology Given"

Police: "Parent of A-gun Delivered Apology to Aide"
Assemblyman Bae: "No Apology to Assemblyman or Aides"

The office of Assemblyman Bae Hyun-jin of the People Power Party denied the police announcement that the parents of suspect A (15) apologized in connection with the attack on Assemblyman Bae, stating, "We have not received any expression of apology."

On the 29th, Assemblyman Bae's office released a statement saying, "Since the terror incident involving Assemblyman Bae on the 25th, neither Assemblyman Bae himself nor any of the office staff have received any expression of apology from the suspect's side." The office explained, "The staff member who briefed that the police met with the suspect's family is the secretary who apprehended the suspect at the scene and handed him over to the police. This secretary accompanied the police to the police station but did not receive any expression of apology from the suspect's side."

People Power Party lawmaker Bae Hyun-jin (Songpa-eul, Seoul) was attacked by an assailant on the afternoon of the 25th at a building in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, as captured on CCTV footage.
[Image source: Provided by Bae Hyun-jin's office, Yonhap News Agency]

They added, "During the victim's statement investigation conducted at Soonchunhyang Hospital on the morning of the 26th, when Assemblyman Bae asked the police whether there was any expression of apology during the suspect's statement, the police replied 'No.' Assemblyman Bae and all staff still do not know the identity of the suspect, including his face, nor the identity of his parents, and the police have not provided any explanation."

Earlier that day, a Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency official said at a press briefing, "The parents of suspect A told Assemblyman Bae's aide they were sorry during the police investigation." However, the official added, "Since it was said to an aide, it was the parents expressing regret, not an official apology." Regarding suspicions raised that A's father is a sitting judge, the official responded, "To my knowledge, he is not a judge, prosecutor, or legal professional."

The police are cautious about disclosing the suspect's statements or medical history since the suspect is a juvenile aged 15. So far, the police have conducted a search of suspect A's residence and investigated the suspect's whereabouts and usual behavior through his parents. To verify A's past activities, they plan to analyze call records, closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage, and social networking service (SNS) activity.

The police plan to continue the investigation by converting suspect A's emergency hospitalization, which expires on the 30th, into protective hospitalization with guardian consent, and will visit the hospital to conduct the investigation.

On the afternoon of the 25th, at around 5:18 p.m., Assemblyman Bae was attacked multiple times on the head with a stone by suspect A at the entrance of a building in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, and collapsed bleeding from his head. The police arrested suspect A at the scene on charges of special assault and took him into custody. After investigating suspect A in the presence of his guardian, the police placed him under emergency hospitalization. Emergency hospitalization is a system that allows a person suspected of having a mental illness to be admitted to a psychiatric medical institution for up to three days if there is an urgent risk of self-harm or harm to others.