Middle school student A is the same person as the man who spilled coffee on Yoo Ah-in
Police investigating past records including mobile phone data
A middle school student A (15), who assaulted Bae Hyun-jin, a member of the People Power Party, was identified as the same person who threw coffee at actor Yoo Ah-in (37, Um Hong-sik), who had previously appeared at the police station on drug use charges. On the 31st, Yonhap News TV reported, "The man who stood behind Yoo Ah-in as he left the Mapo Police Station in Seoul last year and threw coffee was identified as A."
Mr. Yoo was awaiting in the detention center of the Mapo Police Station in Seoul after undergoing a substantive hearing for an arrest warrant on drug use charges on May 24 last year. Around 11:30 p.m., when the arrest warrant was dismissed, he said, "I will sincerely cooperate with the police investigation," and then headed to a vehicle with a man who appeared to be his manager.
At that moment, a man threw a 500ml PET bottle filled with coffee from behind. Although the bottle did not directly hit Mr. Yoo's body, the coffee splashed and partially soaked his clothes. A startled Mr. Yoo was captured looking back with a grimace. Led by his manager, Mr. Yoo resumed walking with a stern expression, and the man left the scene wearing a hat.
"I thought I should teach him a lesson"... also requested his own photo
It was later revealed that this man was A, who assaulted Assemblyman Bae last month with a stone. The media reported, "In December last year, a tip-off call claimed that the person who threw the coffee was himself," adding, "This man revealed his name and explained the reason for throwing the bottle, saying, 'I was angry watching the reports about Yoo Ah-in's alleged drug use, whom I usually did not like, and thought I should teach him a lesson.'" A also reportedly sent photos showing himself, Mr. Yoo, and reporters, and requested the media to provide any photos containing his image.
Earlier, suspicions arose that A was the same person who appeared on December 22 last year during the substantive hearing for the arrest warrant of a graffiti imitation offender at Gyeongbokgung and threw a wallet. The police are investigating A's past activities and motives by examining mobile phone records and other data. However, it is reported that he had no prior record of police investigations for violent behavior.
Assemblyman Bae was attacked by A around 5:20 p.m. on the 25th of last month at the entrance of a building in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, during a personal schedule. At that time, A asked, "Are you Bae Hyun-jin of the People Power Party?" and then struck Bae's head with a stone. Even after Bae fell to the ground, A continued to hit her until another man intervened. Bae was transported to a nearby hospital, received emergency suturing treatment, was hospitalized for three days, and was discharged on the 27th of last month.
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