'Sports Center Brutal Murder' Bereaved Family Files 900 Million Won Damage Claim Against State

by Kong Byeongseon

Published 13 Oct.2023 11:37(KST)

"Initial Response Was Inadequate"

The bereaved family of the victim in the 'Sports Center Brutal Murder Case' filed a claim for damages against the state, arguing that the police's initial response was inadequate.

The representative of a children's sports center, accused of killing an employee by damaging their organs with a 70cm rod, is being transferred to the prosecution at Seodaemun Police Station in Seoul on the 7th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

According to the legal community on the 13th, three bereaved family members submitted a complaint to the Seoul Western District Court the day before, demanding approximately 900 million KRW in damages from the state.

The perpetrator, Han Mo (42), was sentenced to 25 years in prison last April for brutally murdering the victim in December 2021 at the sports center he operated, including repeatedly assaulting the victim dozens of times and inserting a plastic rod into the victim's body.

The bereaved family claims that the police's initial response was insufficient. The victim reported the incident three times in total, and six police officers from the Mapo Police Station and Seodaemun Police Station responded. However, although the victim was lying down wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt with the lower clothing removed, the officers only covered the victim with clothing and checked for a pulse before leaving.

The family argues that if even one police officer had paid closer attention, visible bruises could have been noticed, and the victim might not have lost their life. The amount claimed for damages was calculated considering the expected income if the victim, who was 26 years old at the time of death, had worked until the age of 60, as well as the mental anguish of the bereaved family.