"Living in the Same Apartment"... Arrest Warrant Denied for 40s Suspected of Attempting to Kidnap Student

Court: "No Risk of Escape or Threat to Victim"

Mr. A is accused of attempting to abduct a teenage female student who was in an elevator at an apartment in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province on the 7th. Photo by YTN

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jung-wan] Controversy has arisen after a detention warrant was dismissed for a man in his 40s who attempted to kidnap a teenage female student to the rooftop from an elevator in an apartment building in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do.

On the 9th, the Uijeongbu District Court Goyang Branch dismissed the detention warrant requested by the police for Mr. A (42), who is accused of attempted abduction of a minor and other charges.

Mr. A is suspected of threatening a teenage student, Ms. B, with a weapon in an elevator at an apartment in Goyang-si on the afternoon of the 7th, forcibly taking her to the top floor in an attempted kidnapping. CCTV footage from the scene shows Mr. A grabbing Ms. B as she was getting off the elevator, forcing her back in, and attempting to seize her phone while holding a weapon.

When Mr. A encountered another resident on the rooftop where the elevator stopped, he fled but was caught by police who arrived after a report, two hours later in the apartment complex parking lot. The police applied for a detention warrant on charges of attempted abduction of a minor, but the court dismissed the request, stating that "there is no risk of Mr. A fleeing or threatening or harming the victim again."

There are voices of criticism regarding the court's decision. Given that the victim and Mr. A live in the same apartment complex, it inevitably causes anxiety and may affect the victim's testimony during the investigation. Ms. B's father reportedly expressed, "Since we live in the same apartment and we are the victims, this makes us vulnerable to further harm. It is truly unfair and unacceptable."

Meanwhile, the police are reportedly considering reapplying for a detention warrant for Mr. A. To do so, they plan to seize Mr. A's phone for forensic analysis of evidence and closely examine the motive behind the crime.

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