"Physical Fight During Meeting"... Arrest Warrant Requested for 40-Year-Old Who Assaulted and Caused Death of Building Representative

Disagreement Leads to Beating with Fists and Feet
Bereaved Family "No CCTV at Incident Location, Feeling Unsafe"

A 40-year-old representative of an apartment complex in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, who assaulted another representative during a dispute at a residents' meeting, resulting in the victim's death, now faces possible detention.

On the 1st, the Pyeongtaek Police Station in Gyeonggi announced that they have requested an arrest warrant for Mr. A, in his 40s, on charges of assault leading to death. The decision on whether to detain him is expected later that day. Mr. A is accused of attending a residents' representatives meeting held at the management office of an apartment in Pyeongtaek City around 7:40 p.m. on the 28th of last month, where he allegedly assaulted another representative, Mr. B (in his 50s), with punches and kicks, causing his death. Mr. A, also a representative of the apartment complex, reportedly engaged in a physical altercation with Mr. B after several disagreements over resident-related agenda items during the meeting.

Gyeonggi Pyeongtaek Police Station exterior view [Photo by Gyeonggi Nambu Police Agency, Yonhap News]

According to the police, during the scuffle where Mr. A and Mr. B were entangled, Mr. A struck Mr. B with his fists and feet, and other residents attending the meeting intervened to stop the fight. Mr. B collapsed immediately after the incident and was transported to a hospital but passed away around 8:30 p.m. that same day. The police arrested Mr. A at the scene and are investigating the detailed circumstances of the incident.

During the police investigation, Mr. A reportedly admitted to the assault but stated that he did not intend to kill Mr. B. The problem is that the incident occurred in a blind spot of the closed-circuit television (CCTV) located right in front of the management office, so there is no video evidence to verify the assault beyond the parties' statements.

Regarding this, on the 1st, Mr. B’s family posted on an online community, saying, "My father went to a residents' meeting and was killed by another resident," and added, "The accident happened in a place without CCTV, so we cannot know exactly how my father died." They continued, "The perpetrator has admitted to the assault, and the police are investigating, but the hospital's cause of death was listed as arrhythmia, so we have requested an autopsy," expressing concern, "My father died due to Mr. A’s assault, but I am worried that misunderstandings might arise causing unfair situations."

The police plan to request an autopsy from the National Forensic Service to clarify the exact cause of death of Mr. B’s body. They are also verifying the precise circumstances of the incident by interviewing witnesses and others involved.