'That Guy' Under 50 Appears... Family of Stalking Victim Living Daily Hell

Victims' Families of Busan Monkey Spanner Urge Strict Punishment
Perpetrator's Side Claims "No Intent to Kill" in Court
"Fear of Retaliation Causes Anxiety Even During Trial"

A man who was sentenced to 15 years in prison after stalking his ex-girlfriend, being reported, and then going to her workplace with a weapon and stabbing her, has caused the victim's family to express fears and concerns about retaliatory crimes after his release. On the 3rd, a woman identified as A, the victim's older sister, posted a message titled ' Incident, exactly one year ago today' on an online community. A said, "I agonized countless times before writing this post," and added, "I have barely been holding on day by day, but I could no longer endure this situation, so I risked my life to find the courage. Today marks exactly one year since the incident occurred."

A man who was sentenced to 15 years in prison for stabbing at his workplace with a weapon after being reported for stalking his ex-girlfriend has raised concerns and fear of retaliatory crimes from the victim's family after his release. On the 3rd, a woman named A, the victim's sister, posted a message titled "It is one year ago today of the ＜Busan Monkey Spanner＞ incident" on an online community. [Photo by Online Community]

She recalled, "When I received the call and arrived at the hospital, before I even saw my sister, what I saw first were her employee ID and clothes soaked in blood," and continued, "My sister's condition was indescribably terrible. She had multiple stab wounds with severe bleeding, and she was barely holding on with labored breathing." The doctor told A and her family, "If the knife had gone in just a little more, it would have pierced her heart and she would have died. It's a miracle she is alive."

A explained, "The perpetrator, who was asked to break up due to debt issues, committed stalking and, as soon as the police investigation began, prepared a monkey spanner and a kitchen knife and went to my sister's workplace. He struck her head and stabbed her chest multiple times, attempting to kill her," adding, "My sister was bleeding profusely and called for help, but no first aid was given. Even in front of colleagues who rushed out at her screams, the perpetrator tried to stab her again. His crime was extremely brazen and cruel."

It is known that the victim, A's sister, had felt threatened even before the incident and had continuously sought help from the perpetrator B's parents and the police. However, the perpetrator's parents dismissed it, saying, "Our son is not someone who would threaten with a knife or kill. Wouldn't it be better if Ms. C (the victim) contacted him first to calm him down? If you report to the police, our son will get into trouble. Please don't report to the police." A also claimed that the police only responded by advising the victim to block the perpetrator's number.

A revealed her frustration over the perpetrator B's shameless excuses in court. Although he said to her sister with a smile, "If I were afraid of the police and the law, would I act like this?" and "I came here with a big heart today. Should I eliminate you or the people around you?" in court he absurdly claimed, "I had no intention to threaten or kill the victim. I bought the weapon for self-harm."

A and her family were reportedly shocked by the content of the leniency petition submitted by the perpetrator's family to the court. The perpetrator's mother wrote, "Last October, at a certain festival event, I saw Ms. C and her family looking healthy and felt relieved. I am devastated and resentful that someone I trusted, Ms. C, would do this." In fact, neither the victim nor A's family attended that festival. B's parents thus included false information in the petition.

A explained the trial progress, saying, "Currently, the perpetrator has appealed the second trial verdict and is awaiting the Supreme Court's decision. In the first and second trials, the prosecutor demanded 20 years, but the final sentence was reduced by 5 years to 15 years in prison, and the electronic ankle bracelet was denied." She added, "The court considered as mitigating factors that the perpetrator admitted to the crime and fortunately it was an attempted murder that did not result in death, and that the perpetrator's family pledged to guide him and requested leniency. I cannot understand why the sentence was reduced when the perpetrator's attack was stopped not by his own will but by others restraining him."

She continued, "Thanks to the colleagues at the workplace, it was fortunate that my sister did not die and it remained an attempted murder, but I think this is equivalent to murder. If the colleagues had not heard my sister's voice and come out, she would have died." Earlier, the victim expressed her fear in a phone interview with JTBC's 'Incident Commander,' saying, "At the last second trial sentencing date, my sister and I cried bitterly inside the courtroom," and added, "(The perpetrator) will be less than 50 years old after serving 15 years. It's very scary. How am I supposed to live? I'm even considering whether I should really emigrate."

Retaliatory Crimes Up 57% in 4 Years

On the 20th of last month, Kim Eun-hee, a member of the People Power Party, announced citing data submitted by the National Police Agency that a total of 1,715 cases of retaliatory crimes occurred from 2018 to 2022. In particular, retaliatory crimes increased by 57%, from 268 cases in 2018 to 421 cases in 2022. By type, retaliatory threats rose 83%, from 116 cases in 2018 to 212 cases in 2022, and retaliatory assaults increased 44%, from 61 cases to 88 cases during the same period. Additionally, retaliatory injuries also increased by 27%, from 30 cases to 38 cases. In the case of retaliatory murders, there was 1 case in 2018, 2 cases in 2019, and 3 cases each from 2020 to 2022.
[Photo by Seo Dong-min, Asia Economy]

Retaliatory crimes are increasing every year, highlighting the urgent need for practical legal and institutional measures. Experts advise that, especially in cases like the 'Sindang Station Murder Case,' where victims tremble in fear of retaliation even during trials, systems should be designed with a victim-centered approach.

On the 20th of last month, Kim Eun-hee, a member of the People Power Party, cited data submitted by the National Police Agency, announcing that a total of 1,715 retaliatory crimes occurred from 2018 to 2022. Retaliatory crimes increased by 57%, from 268 cases in 2018 to 421 in 2022. By type, retaliatory threats rose 83% from 116 cases in 2018 to 212 in 2022, retaliatory assaults increased 44% from 61 to 88 cases, and retaliatory injuries also rose 27% from 30 to 38 cases. Retaliatory murders occurred once in 2018, twice in 2019, and three times each year from 2020 to 2022.

Retaliatory crimes refer to offenses such as murder, injury, assault, threats, or unlawful detention committed as revenge for providing investigation leads, testimony, evidence, or statements related to one's own or another's criminal investigation or trial. The representative retaliatory crime is the 'Sindang Station Murder Case.' Jeon Joo-hwan, the stalker and murderer at Sindang Station, was on trial for stalking Ms. A and, after receiving a 9-year prison sentence recommendation, committed the crime out of resentment. Jeon was ultimately sentenced to life imprisonment by the Supreme Court on charges including retaliatory murder.

Along with the increase in retaliatory crimes, sexual violence crimes also rose by 29%, from 31,396 cases in 2018 to 40,515 in 2022. Digital sex crimes increased dramatically by 129%, from 8,278 cases in 2018 to 19,028 in 2022. Stalking crimes (since the Stalking Punishment Act came into effect on October 21, 2021) numbered 10,547 cases in 2022.