Pants Dropped to the Pelvis... 'Busan Dolryeochagi Incident' Enters a New Phase

Appeals Court Orders DNA Test on Victim's Clothes
Raises Sexual Crime Suspicion Over '7-Minute' CCTV Disappearance

The appellate court has decided to conduct a DNA test on the victim's clothing in the 'Busan Roundhouse Kick Incident,' which stirred public outrage after a woman in her 20s was chased and assaulted while returning home in Busan, amid allegations of sexual crime.

On the 19th, the Criminal Division 2-1 of the Busan High Court (Chief Judge Choi Hwan) held the second appellate trial for Mr. A, a man in his 30s charged with attempted murder. During the trial, witness examinations were conducted for an officetel resident who first discovered the victim, police officers who responded to the scene, and the victim B's older sister.

The victim B's side stated, "The witness (officetel resident) testified in detail that when they first found the victim, 'the top was raised up to about the ribs, the pants and hems extended beyond the pelvis and ankles respectively, and the pants button was undone.'"

In response, the court said, "The motive for the crime stated in the indictment is 'assaulting the victim without any special reason,' but based on today's testimony, there is strong suspicion that there may be another motive beyond the attempted murder."

[Photo by SBS from the broadcast screen of 'Unanswered Questions']

Furthermore, the court adopted the prosecution's request to conduct a re-examination of the pants and underwear that B was wearing at the time, stating, "It is the authority and duty of the criminal court to clarify the true motive behind the charged crime."

The 'Busan Roundhouse Kick Incident' attracted significant social attention last May when CCTV footage captured a woman returning home in Seomyeon, Busan, being struck with a roundhouse kick by Mr. A, a former security company employee with 18 prior convictions. Mr. A was charged with attempted murder and was sentenced to 12 years in prison in the first trial.

This case recently entered a new phase as suspicions of sexual crime arose regarding the '7 minutes' during which Mr. A moved the victim, who had collapsed from the assault, to a CCTV blind spot and then disappeared after leaving the officetel entrance alone.

The victim B suffers from dissociative amnesia and does not clearly remember the incident, but B's older sister, who visited after B was transported to the hospital, recalled, "When the hospital staff removed my sister's pants, there were no underwear." Medical personnel are also reported to have suggested the possibility of sexual assault.

Meanwhile, on the 13th, B began collecting public petitions demanding severe punishment, and it was reported that over 53,000 signatures were gathered within seven days by the 19th. B's legal representative said, "The general public sentiment is that severe punishment is appropriate," and added, "We expect the appellate court to also consider this in sentencing."

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