Teenagers who made a man in his 60s a 'cigarette shuttle' and mocked him sent to prosecution

Refused to Run Cigarette Errand, Beaten Multiple Times with Flowers
"Reveal Identity" 130,000 Agree to 청원 at Blue House

A high school student wearing a yellow raincoat hit the head of a man in his 60s with a flower and demanded a cigarette errand / Photo by Internet Community Capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Ju-hyung] Five teenagers who mocked and assaulted a man in his 60s by demanding he buy cigarettes were handed over to the prosecution.

On the 24th, the Yeoju Police Station in Gyeonggi Province announced that two individuals, including A, were sent to the prosecution under detention on charges of assault. Additionally, three others, including B, who laughed at and mocked the victim at the scene, were sent to the prosecution without detention on the same charges.

According to the police, the five, including A, demanded a man in his 60s to buy cigarettes on a street in Hongmun-dong, Yeoju City, on the 25th of last month. When the man refused, they allegedly struck his head, shoulders, and other parts of his body with flowers they were holding.

Videos capturing the assault, recently posted on online communities, show one of the group approaching the elderly man, demanding "Buy me cigarettes," and hitting his head and shoulders with flowers. They also make mocking remarks such as "Where is your boyfriend?", "Did you break up?", and "Are you going to buy cigarettes or not? Just say that."

After the incident became known, posts urging strong punishment and disclosure of personal information of the perpetrating students were uploaded on the Blue House National Petition Board, receiving over 130,000 agreements by the 24th. / Photo by Blue House National Petition Board capture

When the man tried to move away saying "I'm not buying," they threatened him not to move. When the man asked, "How old are you? Aren't you a student?" one replied "Seventeen," yet the assault did not stop.

Public outrage grew further when it was revealed that the chrysanthemums used by the students to hit the man were memorial flowers placed near the nearby Statue of Peace. This statue was erected in August last year to honor Grandma Lee Yong-nyeo, a comfort woman victim from Yeoju.

Amid the growing controversy, it was reported that one of the perpetrators submitted a withdrawal letter to their school citing "no intention to continue studies" and was officially withdrawn.

Furthermore, on the 30th of last month, a petition demanding severe punishment and disclosure of personal information of the perpetrators was posted on the Blue House National Petition Board, receiving over 130,000 signatures by the 24th.

The petitioner stated in the post, "Teenagers demanded a man in his 60s to buy cigarettes on their behalf, so-called 'cigarette shuttle,' and struck his head multiple times with what appeared to be a flower stick. They crossed the line far too much," and called for "strong punishment and disclosure of personal information of the teenagers."

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