Two Men in Their 20s Referred to Prosecution for Attempted Abduction of Elementary Student; One Not Charged

Lured Children into Car by Offering a Ride Home

Two out of three men in their 20s who attempted but failed to abduct an elementary school student in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul in August last year have been referred to the prosecution.

The Seodaemun Police Station in Seoul announced on the 16th that it had referred two individuals, including Mr. A, to the prosecution without detention on charges of attempted enticement of a minor.

A man in his 20s who attempted to abduct a child near an elementary school in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, attended the pretrial detention hearing at the Seoul Western District Court in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on September 5 last year. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Mr. A and others are accused of driving around in a car near an elementary school in Hong-eun-dong, Seodaemun-gu on August 28 last year, approaching elementary school students on their way home, and attempting to lure them into their vehicle by offering to give them a ride home. The remaining individual, who was also reportedly involved in the crime, was not referred to the prosecution and the case against him was closed.

The police initially dismissed the case as a "false report" after checking only part of the CCTV footage around the school, despite receiving the first report. However, after a letter warning about abductions was distributed at a nearby school and controversy erupted in online communities such as mom cafes, police belatedly re-examined the CCTV footage and other evidence. Subsequently, on September 3 last year, all three suspects were urgently arrested and arrest warrants were requested, but the court rejected the requests, stating that there was room for dispute regarding the facts of the charges.

The police also requested a legal review from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's investigation review committee to determine whether child abuse charges could be applied under the Child Welfare Act, but after an in-depth review, it was concluded that it would be difficult to apply, and the investigation was closed.

A police official stated, "To alleviate concerns among parents and citizens, we are implementing safety measures for students during their commute to and from school," adding, "We will investigate crimes against minors swiftly and strictly."

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