The news of that day has passed, but its meaning remains today. "Today's That Day" reads the present through records of the past.
"It nearly became a second Cho Doo-soon case."
Exactly one year ago today, on July 1 last year, a man in his 70s identified as A, who attempted to abduct an elementary school student on her way to school by luring her into his vehicle in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, was detained and referred to prosecutors. The Namyangju Nambu Police Station applied charges of attempted enticement of a minor and indecent assault of a minor under 13 against A.
The evidence secured by police was difficult to view as mere coincidence or an impulsive approach. Found in A's vehicle were condoms, multiple erectile dysfunction drugs, and an unidentified liquid presumed to be an aphrodisiac, while the dashcam storage device had been removed.
A police investigation also revealed that A had repeatedly approached the victim child over three days — not only on the day of the incident but also the day before and the day before that.
◇"I'm your uncle who lives in Building 302"… Targeting the Child for Three Days = The incident occurred at 8:10 a.m. on May 22, 2025, in front of an apartment complex in Namyangju. As B, then a third-grade elementary school student, left home to catch the school bus, a black sedan approached.
A, in the driver's seat, introduced himself as "your uncle who lives in Building 302" and lured B by saying, "Let's go to the farm." But the Building 302 he mentioned did not actually exist.
At the time, B's mother was watching her daughter's walk to school in real time from the veranda. The moment her daughter placed her hand on the passenger-side door, the mother sensed something was wrong and shouted, "Don't get in!" When B stopped at her cry, A left the scene as he was. In the end, A's crime ended in an attempt.
While analyzing nearby closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage, police confirmed an even more shocking fact. A had already repeatedly approached B, who had been waiting for the school bus, beginning two days before the incident. Saying "Let's go play at the farm," he handed her gum and toys in an attempt to build rapport, and he had already committed indecent assault, taking her to an alley without CCTV and touching her body.
A, arrested in Jungnang-gu, Seoul, six days after the incident, denied the abduction charge during the police investigation, saying, "The child greeted me first, and I was only trying to take her to the school bus stop." However, regarding the sexual assault charge, he admitted, "I touched her body once."
Police also confirmed circumstances indicating that A had attempted to take the victim child to his farm hut. The farm hut was in a remote location away from his residence.
◇A Man in His 70s Who Even Received a Justice Minister's Commendation… Ultimately 4 Years in Prison = During the investigation, it emerged that A had previously served as a crime prevention committee member and had even received a commendation from the Justice Minister, delivering a social shock.
In a media interview at the time, B's mother said, "It nearly became a second Cho Doo-soon case, but I'm worried that his sentence might be reduced because the man is elderly and a first-time offender," adding, "My daughter often screams to the point of being unable to calm down, and she is so anxious that she can't sleep well."
Prosecutors sought a seven-year prison sentence for A, and on September 25 the same year, Criminal Division 1 of the Uijeongbu District Court's Namyangju Branch sentenced A to four years in prison.
The court said, "The defendant's crime became increasingly sophisticated, including attempting to abduct the victim by luring her into a vehicle," and "Severe punishment is unavoidable, as he sought to conceal the crime by preventing the victim from telling her parents."
However, it explained the sentencing reasons, saying it "took into account that he confessed to the crime, that the abduction ended in an attempt, and that the victim reached a settlement and does not wish for punishment."
