Prosecutors investigating the fatal assault of the late film director Kim Chang-min have sought arrest warrants for two suspects.
The special investigation team at the Namyangju Branch of the Uijeongbu District Prosecutors' Office said Friday, "We have requested arrest warrants for two suspects, identified as A and B, who inflicted injuries on director Kim that led to his death."
A and the other suspect are accused of assaulting Kim to death following an altercation over a noise dispute in front of a restaurant in Guri, Gyeonggi Province, at around 1 a.m. on October 20 last year. Kim was transported to a hospital by paramedics after the assault but never regained consciousness and was declared brain-dead 17 days later. He died after donating his organs to four recipients.
Before Kim's death, police had sought an arrest warrant for A alone on charges of aggravated assault, but the request was denied. Following the prosecution's request for supplementary investigation, police subsequently booked B, who was also at the scene, and reapplied for arrest warrants for both suspects on charges of inflicting injury resulting in death. The court again rejected the request.
After taking over the case from police, prosecutors formed a special team consisting of three prosecutors and five investigators. The team questioned Kim's son, who has a developmental disability and was with him at the scene, as a witness. On the 15th, prosecutors searched the suspects' homes, and on the 24th, they summoned the suspects for questioning.
The special investigation team said, "We plan to present specific opinions on the substantiality of the charges and the necessity of detention during the upcoming pre-arrest suspect interrogation." The team added, "Based on evidence and legal principles, we will do our utmost to prove the suspects' charges so that no further injustice is done to the victim, and ensure that the suspects receive punishment commensurate with their crimes."
