Arrested for causing trouble at a restaurant → Coughing and faking 'new coronavirus symptoms,' immature man in his 20s

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] A commotion involving 119 paramedics occurred after a man in his 20s, who was arrested by the police for causing a disturbance at a restaurant, feigned illness by claiming he was infected with the novel coronavirus (Wuhan pneumonia).

The Mapo Police Station in Seoul announced on the 4th that they arrested a man in his 20s, identified as Mr. A, on the spot on the 2nd on charges of assault and obstruction of business.

According to the police, Mr. A is accused of assaulting staff, shouting, and throwing objects inside the store to disrupt business after being stopped from smoking at a restaurant in Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul.

Handcuffed and brought to the Hongik Police Substation, Mr. A continued to cause a disturbance by cursing at officers, shouting loudly, and attempting to remove his clothes.

When the police did not respond, Mr. A suddenly coughed and said, "I think I have contracted the novel coronavirus. Please call someone."

In response, a doctor at a nearby public health center conducted a phone consultation with Mr. A, but it was revealed that he had no contact with confirmed cases nor had he visited any infected areas.

Additionally, 119 paramedics wearing protective suits arrived at the substation to check Mr. A’s temperature and assess any signs of infection, but finding no abnormalities, they withdrew.

A police official stated, "Mr. A has frequently been arrested at the substation for assault disputes and has sometimes feigned illness while causing disturbances. The substation staff are well aware of this and were not surprised, but given the spread of the novel coronavirus infectious disease, they had to be cautious."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.