"Man Who Reported 'Indiscriminate Assault on Highway' Faces Backlash, Why?"

As Evidence of Reckless Cutting In Emerges, Atmosphere Turns 'Cold'

In Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province, on the Seoul-Munsan Expressway, an incident occurred where a driver in his 50s blocked another driver who was trying to forcefully merge and assaulted him.

An incident occurred on the Seoul-Munsan Expressway in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province, where a driver in his 50s blocked and assaulted another driver who was trying to forcefully cut in.
[Image source=YouTube channel 'Han Moon-cheol TV' capture]

On the 22nd, Han Moon-chul, a lawyer specializing in traffic accidents, addressed the assault incident that occurred on the shoulder of the Seoul-Munsan Expressway on the 21st of last month through his YouTube channel. According to the victim’s vehicle black box footage released by Lawyer Han, the victim attempted to merge into the left lane after exiting the highway tollgate, but Mr. A, who was on the left side, did not yield. The power struggle between the two vehicles continued until the lane reduction point, creating a tense situation that nearly led to an accident. Then, Mr. A blocked the victim’s front, got out of his car, engaged in a scuffle, and started the assault.

The victim’s girlfriend, who was in the front passenger seat, called the police, but Mr. A continued to kick the victim’s thighs and head and struck his face and head with his fists. The victim suffered a 3cm laceration around the eye that required surgery and was also diagnosed with a concussion.

An incident occurred on the Seoul-Munsan Expressway in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province, where a driver in his 50s blocked and assaulted another driver who was trying to forcefully cut in.
[Image source=YouTube channel 'Han Moon-cheol TV' capture]

However, the released black box footage sparked debate. While it is true that Mr. A, the assailant, was at fault, many argued that the victim’s fault in attempting to forcefully merge was not insignificant. One netizen commented, “Of course, you should merge behind the car ahead,” and added, “The victim said, ‘He’s not yielding,’ but it’s correct that he didn’t yield.” Other netizens responded with comments such as, “It’s the first time I’ve seen someone get insulted even after being hit,” “The assault is obviously wrong, but if you ask who is more at fault while driving, it’s definitely the victim,” “Honking after forcing your way in,” and “The victim should work on improving their driving habits.”

In response, Lawyer Han said, “The compensation for emotional distress will likely be 10 million to 20 million won or more. This case is different from others because there was an assault and the victim was seriously injured.” He added, “Moreover, the victim’s girlfriend witnessed the assault. That humiliation should also be considered in the compensation.” While acknowledging that “the victim may have been partly at fault at the start,” he emphasized, “Even if someone is at fault, you should never resort to violence. This is not a jungle where the strong prey on the weak. It was good that the victim did not retaliate.”

Meanwhile, on the 4th, the Goyang Police Station in Gyeonggi Province sent Mr. A to the prosecution without detention on charges of assault causing injury.