"Former Gangster Threatened 'Do as You're Told,' Sentenced to 8 Years for Driving Basic Livelihood Recipient to Death"

A man in his 40s who pretended to be a former gang member and psychologically dominated (gaslighted) basic livelihood security recipients, repeatedly assaulting and abusing them and causing one person to drown, has been sentenced to prison.

The Tongyeong Branch of the Changwon District Court in South Gyeongsang Province announced on the 21st that it had sentenced Mr. A, who was tried on charges including involuntary manslaughter, to eight years in prison.

According to the court, Mr. A was indicted for repeatedly assaulting and extorting Mr. B and Mr. C, both in their 50s, since October 2018, and for forcing the two, who had been drinking, to swim in the sea in October last year, resulting in Mr. B's death.

The victim is kneeling next to the suspect in a restaurant.
[Photo by Changwon Maritime Police Station, video capture provided]

Mr. A deceived the two by claiming he had been a gang member in the past and assaulted them, threatening to mobilize gangsters for retaliation if they did not follow his orders.

He took them to a motel, controlled their actions, made them keep drinking, and even forced them to kneel in a restaurant.

While drinking together at the motel, he ordered them to "determine the hierarchy" and made them fight, resulting in Mr. C being beaten by Mr. B and taken to the emergency room.

Starting in 2021, Mr. A received cash from the two, who were basic livelihood security recipients, claiming financial difficulties, and around April 2023, he took their welfare payment cards and withdrew about 13 million won in cash.

Despite their inability to work due to health reasons, he forced them into day labor and instructed them to deposit the earnings into his mother's account, extorting about 2.3 million won.

He frequently checked Mr. B and Mr. C's mobile phones and made them report their daily activities, forcing them to walk 17 kilometers?a five-hour walk?and send him photos of road signs along the way.

The victim, who lost consciousness after fighting each other under the suspect's instructions, is being transported by the 119 emergency medical team.
[Photo by Changwon Coast Guard]

Then, on October 11 last year, at Okpo Port Waterfront Park in Geoje, he made them share 22 bottles of soju and ordered them to enter the sea and swim.

Mr. B immediately undressed and crossed the railing, and Mr. C, who hesitated, also jumped into the sea after Mr. A urged, "What are you doing not going in?"

Mr. B, with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.179%, was swept away by an underwater whirlpool and died.

The victim, following the suspect's instructions, is climbing over the railing at Okpo Waterfront Park in Geoje, Gyeongnam.
[Photo by Changwon Maritime Police Station]

The victims, who had no family, were found to have become physically and mentally vulnerable and unable to resist due to years of Mr. A's assaults and threats, living in constant fear.

During the Changwon Coast Guard's investigation at the time, Mr. C reportedly stated, "I never knew when I would be beaten, so I had no choice but to follow orders because if I didn't, I would be hit."

The court explained its sentencing, saying, "Mr. A dominated the victims for a long period, extorted money, and committed cruel acts, including forcing them into the sea, resulting in Mr. B's drowning, which is of particularly bad character. Furthermore, he has not shown remorse or taken any significant steps to compensate the victims, and it is difficult to fathom the physical and mental suffering the victims endured."