The Burden of Life That Murder Victims' Families Must Bear

Death by Yeopsa Shooting... Defendant Sentenced to 1 Year 8 Months Imprisonment
Bereaved Family Actively Pursues Truth Investigation
Investigation Agencies Sometimes Ignored
Bereaved Families Suffer Significant Mental Trauma

The family of the taxi driver who was mistakenly identified as a wild boar and killed by a hunter's gunshot visited related agencies to seek a thorough investigation. Along the way, they were sometimes ignored by investigative authorities. Currently, the family is suffering from psychological trauma.
Photo by Seoul Eunpyeong Fire Station

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Gyumin] A taxi driver in his 70s collapsed in the city center after being shot. He was urgently urinating near a hiking trail about 5 meters from the road. A hunter, who was hunting wild boars, mistook him for a wild boar and fired a shotgun, hitting him with one shot. Although the 119 emergency medical team performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and other emergency measures, he was already in cardiac arrest. His family, who were having dinner, rushed to Seoul National University Hospital upon receiving the emergency call. However, the bullet pierced his abdomen, damaging all his internal organs. He passed away from excessive bleeding after five hours, ending his 72 years of life.

According to the bereaved family, while they were hurriedly preparing for the funeral, a man came to them. He was the son of the hunter. Suddenly, he knelt down repeatedly saying, "I'm sorry." The family, having no time to accept his apology, told him to "leave." A media outlet also approached the family, but they firmly refused interview requests, fearing their personal information would be exposed.

The reason the family, who had been extremely reluctant to be exposed, agreed to an interview was because the first trial verdict for this case was announced. On the 19th, the defendant was sentenced to 1 year and 8 months in prison. In response, the family decided to speak out, saying, "It is so absurd and infuriating."

The bereaved family ran around conducting ‘investigations’...sometimes ignored by investigative agencies

During this time, the family investigated the cause of death of the deceased (the taxi driver). They took on the work that the police and prosecution should have done. The deceased’s son-in-law visited various locations related to the case for six months. He went to the Pyeongchang Police Substation of Jongno Police Station in Seoul, where the hunter obtained the firearm, the Eunpyeong District Office that issued the wild boar hunting permit, and the scene of the incident.

Eventually, the family discovered that the hunter had gone hunting wild boars without properly reporting the firearm issuance and failed to fulfill his duty of care as a hunter. However, according to the family, no institution ‘embraced’ or supported them. They claimed that investigative agencies handled the case formally and bureaucratically, and these facts were not reflected.

The family was also ignored during the investigation process. When reports stated that the streetlights near the scene were off at the time of the incident, they questioned the police officer in charge. They visited the scene together, urged a proper investigation, but the officer reportedly became annoyed with them afterward and stopped responding to their calls.

Nevertheless, they hoped for a ‘proper judgment.’ During the trial, in the sentencing investigation process, an investigator called them. The family submitted a detailed statement outlining the facts they had uncovered.

Shock at the first trial verdict...the family suffers psychological damage

However, the family was hurt again by the verdict. The defendant, charged with professional negligence causing death, was sentenced to 1 year and 8 months in prison. This crime carries a penalty of imprisonment for up to 5 years. The court judged that the hunter’s breach of duty of care did not reach the aggravated level of ‘serious breach of duty of care.’ The family stated, “The sentence should have been at least as much as the prosecution’s demand (4 years in prison).”

Currently, the family is experiencing various damages. The deceased’s wife became disoriented and fainted repeatedly on the day of the coffin ceremony, suffering temporary amnesia. Although she later stabilized, she was diagnosed with panic disorder and her health deteriorated to the point where she cannot sleep without medication. The eldest daughter developed a mental illness due to grief and sorrow for the deceased, causing swelling in her heart area and difficulty breathing normally.

Meanwhile, the Seoul Western District Prosecutors’ Office, which handled the indictment of this case, filed an appeal with the Seoul Western District Court Criminal Division 4 (Presiding Judge Jung Geumyoung) on the 21st, two days after the verdict. The prosecution stated, “The defendant did not reach an agreement with the victim’s side, and we appealed due to the unfairness of the sentence.”

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