Prosecutors have assembled a dedicated investigation team and launched a supplementary probe into the case of the late film director Kim Chang-min, who died after being assaulted at a restaurant while dining with his son. Online, a movement to submit petitions demanding severe punishment for the assailants is also spreading.
The Namyangju Branch of the Uijeongbu District Prosecutors' Office, which received the case from the Guri Police Station on the 2nd of this month, announced on the 5th that it had formed a dedicated investigation team for the Kim case. The team, led by the head of the Criminal Division 2, consists of three prosecutors and five investigators. The prosecution plans to conduct a swift and rigorous supplementary investigation by employing forensic techniques and incorporating opinions from prosecutors with medical expertise. The Namyangju Branch said, "We will investigate thoroughly so that the victim suffers no injustice."
Director Kim was assaulted in the early hours of October 20 last year at a restaurant in Guri, Gyeonggi Province. He reportedly became embroiled in a physical altercation after a dispute over noise with customers seated at another table during his meal. After being punched and collapsing to the floor, Kim was transported to a nearby hospital approximately one hour later but never regained consciousness. On November 7 last year, he was declared brain-dead. He donated his organs, giving new life to four people, before passing away.
Controversy over a botched investigation also emerged during the probe. Police initially sought an arrest warrant for only one suspect, a man identified as A, who assaulted Director Kim. However, prosecutors returned the request, demanding supplementary work. Police then reapplied for arrest warrants for two suspects, including A, on charges of assault resulting in death. The Namyangju Branch of the Uijeongbu District Court rejected the warrants, stating that "the suspects have fixed residences and there is no risk of evidence destruction."
When police subsequently forwarded the case to prosecutors without detaining the suspects, the bereaved family protested that the entire process — from the initial response to identifying suspects and pursuing punishment — had been inadequate. "There was a university hospital near the scene of the incident," the family said. "The transfer was delayed by one hour, and they ultimately missed the golden time." They added, "Five months have passed since the incident, yet the assailants are walking the streets freely."
