Car Parked Near Kids Cafe Scratched
Fine Imposed in Actual Court Case
A car owner who suffered financial damage after their parked vehicle was scratched by a sharp object expressed mixed feelings and sought advice after discovering the identity of the culprit.
On the 29th of last month, a post titled "I caught the person who scratched my parked car, what would you do?" was uploaded on the online community 'Nate Pann.' The author, Mr. A, who visited a kids' cafe with his child, began by saying, "I parked right in front of the cafe, and when I came out two hours later, there were scratch marks on the rear door of the driver's side and the fender made by something sharp." After reporting the incident to the police, Mr. A checked the CCTV footage and found out that an elderly man collecting recyclables scratched his car with a handcart while trying to avoid an oncoming vehicle.
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Mr. A expressed his frustration, saying, "The police said they would have to investigate to find out who it was, but if the person has no ability to compensate, criminal charges or punishment would be difficult, so I would have to file a civil lawsuit." He added, "The police subtly hinted, 'Shall we try to find out who it is?' but it felt like they wanted me to say 'never mind.'" He continued, "I wonder if I should just let it go since the elderly man collecting recyclables probably can't compensate, but on the other hand, I want to at least get an apology. Not all people collecting recyclables are in bad circumstances. What would you do in my position? The car is a foreign brand, but it’s not expensive," asking for opinions.
Many netizens commented, "Even if you don’t file a lawsuit, you should at least find the person. How do you know how many cars he has scratched so far or how many more he might scratch? You should meet him, get an apology, and tell him to be careful in the future," "Even if you don’t take money, if you just let it go, it might happen again. They will probably file a report even if you withdraw the complaint," and "How do you know if that elderly man is really poor or just doing it as a hobby? You should get compensation, and if he can’t pay, at least get an apology."
Among these, one netizen wrote, "If it wasn’t intentional, I’d let it go. I avoid squeezing money out of people who have nothing. If you think badly of them, you become harsh; if you think kindly, you become generous. If I have the means, I sometimes choose to be lenient," which resonated with many.
Previously, in 2020, a similar case occurred in Daejeon and went to court. At that time, an elderly man Mr. B, who collected recyclables, scratched an Audi passenger car parked on the sidewalk, causing about 1 million KRW in repair costs. The court considered that Mr. B had a disability and limited economic means, earning only a few thousand won a day by collecting recyclables. However, since the victim wished to pursue punishment, the court found a fine unavoidable and sentenced the elderly man to a 300,000 KRW fine for violating the Road Traffic Act. The fine was paid by Kang Sun-woo, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, who learned about the case.
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