Delivery Driver Faces Trial for Cruelly Abusing Kitten for 3 Hours

Abuse of Cat Raised at Delivery Agency Where Worker Was Employed
"Persistently Followed and Captured"

A man who brutally abused a 6-month-old kitten for over three hours at a delivery agency office in Busan has been brought to trial.

On the 21st, the Busan District Prosecutors' Office Seobu Branch indicted Mr. A without detention on charges of violating the Animal Protection Act and property damage. Mr. A, who worked as a delivery driver, is accused of assaulting and abusing a 6-month-old kitten named "Myeongsuk-i" at a delivery agency office in Saha-gu, Busan, from 3:00 a.m. to 6:20 a.m. on the 6th of last month.

Myeongsuk-i was rescued from the road by another delivery driver when she was less than two months old and had been cared for by the office staff since then. Mr. A, who had a prior record of violence, committed the crime during his probation period. He quit working at the agency immediately after the incident.

A scene of assaulting the cat Myeongsuk. Provided by Animal Rights Action Kara

When the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of the abuse was released, over 35,000 citizens signed a petition from animal rights groups demanding strict punishment for the perpetrator. The CCTV video clearly shows Mr. A grabbing Myeongsuk-i by the scruff of her neck, roughly throwing her onto a sofa, and striking her against the office floor.

The animal protection organization KARA stated, "Myeongsuk-i tried her best to escape, but Mr. A persistently chased and captured her," adding, "He even used toys that Myeongsuk-i liked to lure her out of hiding." Although Myeongsuk-i has recovered significantly after surgery, she suffered severe injuries to her lower jaw and is reportedly still unable to close her mouth.

The total surgery cost was about 4 million won, which was raised through small donations from delivery drivers who usually cared for Myeongsuk-i and the agency’s owner. Another delivery driver from a different agency, upon hearing the story, visited the hospital where Myeongsuk-i was admitted every day to care for her and recently expressed the intention to adopt her.

Netizens who learned of the incident responded with various comments such as, "People who abuse animals are likely to harm humans eventually," "We demand severe punishment," "Animals who cannot speak feel pain just like humans. Human life is not the only life," "How could someone assault a small living being for three hours without any reason," "How can humans be so cruel? Animal abuse should be punished more severely," and "Animal abusers are potential murderers."