"I need to quit the project because I have to travel abroad."
Last November, at a study room in a Seoul university, a team member identified as A, who was working on an app development project with a campus development club, suddenly announced his intention to leave. After a prolonged dispute with other members, he filed a criminal complaint with police, claiming he had effectively been confined.
According to police on Wednesday, Seoul Seongbuk Police Station decided in March not to refer the case, filed on charges of joint confinement and joint extortion, to the prosecution.
Team members reportedly pushed back strongly against A's decision to leave, arguing that "project rules must be followed" and "mid-project withdrawal is not allowed." Some members reportedly said, "Why are there only crazy people here? You cannot quit." A responded, "I admit I'm crazy, so I'm just leaving now," reaffirming his intention to withdraw.
But the confrontation did not end easily. Team members stood near the study room door and demanded that A "follow the withdrawal rules before leaving" and "pay a 300,000 won withdrawal fee to quit." They also held him back, saying he had to "find a replacement" and "complete a handover."
The standoff lasted about 7 hours and 30 minutes. A ultimately left the study room after paying the withdrawal fee.
A later filed a criminal complaint on charges of joint confinement and joint extortion, alleging that team members had forcibly held him and demanded money. He argued that the members had effectively confined him and extracted money through pressure.
Police, however, concluded that it was difficult to establish criminal charges. "While A clearly expressed his intention to leave, there was no evidence that physical force or assault was used in stopping him," police said. They added that "it is difficult to view the team members' actions as amounting to a psychological or intangible obstacle that made it effectively impossible to leave the study room."
Police also found it difficult to recognize extortion charges over the withdrawal fee demand. They explained that rules regarding the withdrawal fee had been shared within the club in advance, and it was difficult to see that assault or threats occurred in the process of collecting the money. They also said it was hard to conclude that the team members had deliberate intent to commit extortion, and did not forward the case to prosecutors.
On university campuses, internal rules aimed at preventing mid-project departures have recently been tightening, particularly in development, startup, and job-preparation clubs. As portfolios and hands-on experience are increasingly viewed as key to employment competitiveness, conflicts over responsibilities and role distribution in team projects are also reportedly on the rise.
