Citizen Group: "Security Guard's Suicide After Assault by Residents, a 'Social Murder'"

Apartment security guard Mr. A, who worked at a security post in an apartment complex in Gangbuk-gu, Seoul, and who could not endure the "resident abuse" the day before and made an extreme choice
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghoon Jeong] On the 10th, a security guard at an apartment complex who had been verbally abused and physically assaulted by a resident made an extreme choice, prompting civic groups to call for punishment of the perpetrator and measures to prevent recurrence.

On the 12th, the "Memorial Gathering for the Late Security Worker Choi Heesik," composed of civic groups including the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) Democratic General Federation and progressive political parties, held a memorial press conference at an apartment in Ui-dong, Gangbuk-gu, Seoul, and defined the incident as a "social homicide."

Mr. Choi, a security guard in his 50s, recently had a dispute with a resident over parking issues and was continuously subjected to verbal abuse and physical assault by this resident before making an extreme choice on the 10th of this month.

The memorial group criticized, "It has been six years since a security worker at an apartment in Apgujeong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, self-immolated due to resident abuse in November 2014. In the heart of Seoul, a security guard has died again after verbal abuse, power harassment, and violence. These incidents occurred six years apart in Gangnam and Gangbuk."

They stated, "Elderly security workers are taken for granted to work without even minimal human dignity, and they work having given up being treated as human beings. We will use this incident as a starting point to protect the rights of vulnerable emotional laborers in this era to work safely."

Attorney Shin Hana of the Lawyers for a Democratic Society (Minbyun), who attended the press conference, said, "This is not just an individual or apartment issue; such realities continue to occur everywhere around us. We should not simply dismiss this as a violence incident but reflect on the working conditions of security workers and pay attention to the blind spots in labor rights."

Mr. Choi's funeral was originally scheduled for that day, but the bereaved family postponed it to the 14th, stating they would first receive an apology from the perpetrator.

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