"To Relieve College Entrance Stress"... 20s Drivers Troubled by 'Sonmokchigi'

Sent to Prosecution Without Detention on Fraud Charges

A man in his 20s who deliberately bumped his arm against a car to extort money under the pretext of medical expenses was handed over to the prosecution.

The appearance of Mr. A, who is accused of receiving a settlement payment from a driver by deliberately causing an accident using the 'Sonmokchigi' technique. Photo by Daejeon Police Agency and Yonhap News.

On the 24th, Daejeon Dunsan Police Station announced that they had sent Mr. A, a man in his 20s, to the prosecution without detention on charges of fraud.

Mr. A is accused of wandering around the back roads of Tanbang-dong, Seo-gu from December last year to January this year, deliberately bumping his arm against the passenger side mirror of moving vehicles and then receiving settlement money from the drivers. This is a fraud method called 'sonmokchigi' (wrist strike), where the perpetrator intentionally bumps into a car and then extorts settlement money from the driver under the pretext of medical expenses, claiming an accident occurred.

Using this method, Mr. A extorted 1,850,000 won from 16 victim drivers.

After multiple 112 reports saying, "There was an accident with a pedestrian, and although we paid the settlement money, intentional accident is suspected," the police conducted a stakeout investigation.

Subsequently, in January, the police witnessed Mr. A committing the crime and extorting settlement money, and arrested him in the act.

Mr. A, a repeat exam taker, confessed to the crime during police investigation, stating that "I did it to relieve stress."

A police official urged, "If a traffic accident demanding settlement money occurs, please report it to the police and insurance company."