"Withdrawal Fee Required to Leave Club"... Over 7 Hours of Dispute Ends in Lawsuit

Police Decide Not to Forward Case, Citing 'No Suspicion'

"No Physical Force Used During the Restraint"

At a university club in Seoul, a commotion broke out when a team member tried to withdraw, leading to a dispute lasting over seven hours as the remaining members demanded a withdrawal fee.

According to Yonhap News Agency on May 10, a university student, referred to as A, filed charges of joint confinement and joint extortion against the club members. However, police decided not to refer the case for prosecution, citing “no charges.”

The incident began in November last year in a study room at a university in Seoul. At the time, A stated, "I need to withdraw from the project because I am going on an overseas trip," which reportedly created a tense atmosphere among the club members. One member responded emotionally, saying, "You can't quit. Why are there only crazy people here?"

Police. Yonhap News Agency

In response, A replied, "I am crazy, so I'll just leave now." However, the team members blocked the exit to the study room and demanded, "Follow the withdrawal rules," and "If you want to leave, pay a 300,000 won withdrawal fee."

The dispute continued, but the team members maintained a firm stance, insisting, "Find a replacement. Handover is a rule, so at least fulfill that." In the end, A paid the withdrawal fee. The dispute in the club’s study room lasted approximately 7 hours and 30 minutes.

Subsequently, A filed charges against the team members for joint confinement and joint extortion, alleging that the team members forcibly confined A, intimidated A, and extorted money. However, Seoul Seongbuk Police Station, which received the complaint, decided not to refer the case for prosecution in March, citing “no charges.” Police explained to Yonhap News Agency, "Although A explicitly asked to be allowed to leave, there was no use of physical force in the process of stopping A. It is difficult to consider the team members' actions as creating a psychological or intangible barrier that made it impossible for A to leave the study room."

Regarding the withdrawal fee that A paid, police stated, "A had already agreed to and was aware of the fee, and there is no evidence of assault or threats during the process of payment." They also determined, "It is difficult to conclude that the team members had the intent to extort A."

However, police did refer one team member to the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors’ Office on charges of extortion and insult for demanding an additional 200,000 won under the pretense of a promotional fee and using abusive language.

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