[Inside Chodong] The Questions Raised by Director Kim Changmin's Death

Organ Donor Hero's Death from Assault Revealed Only Later
Rising Concerns Over Abolishing Supplementary Investigation Rights

Tears welled up in his eyes. The late Director Kim Changmin, who was known for his noble act of organ donation but whose tragic end was revealed only later, left this as his final image. In his last moments, as he lost consciousness and tears formed in his eyes, perhaps he was filled with worry for his surviving son and a sense of injustice. The despair, resentment, and regret of a father who had promised to be a lifelong support for his disabled son, but could no longer protect him...

Director Kim became known to the world as a hero who saved four lives through organ donation. However, months later, the horrific truth came to light. Last October, Director Kim went to a restaurant at dawn because his developmentally disabled son wanted to eat pork cutlet, but an argument over noise led to an assault. Director Kim's son witnessed his father being attacked in the restaurant. An hour later, Director Kim arrived at the hospital and soon lost consciousness. It was Director Kim’s father who captured this moment on camera. He later said he understood the tears in his son's eyes, and the look of injustice and worry for the son left behind, as captured in those photos.

The appalling truth was exposed when the grieving family, devastated by the fact that those who assaulted Kim continued to walk the streets freely, reported related CCTV footage and other evidence to the media. In the early stages, the police did not arrest the perpetrators, and even after Director Kim’s death, only one suspect was subject to an arrest warrant. According to footage from the time of his death, there were at least six people in the group of assailants. Unsatisfied with the police investigation, the family collected CCTV and other evidence and requested a supplementary investigation from the prosecution. Only then did the police reopen the case, and the number of suspects increased to two. However, even the arrest warrants for these suspects were dismissed.

This case has drawn attention not only because of its brutality but also because it evokes the fear that such a tragedy could happen to anyone. If injustices like this remain unresolved, it suggests the possibility that victims or their families may be forced to hunt for evidence themselves, desperately seeking the truth, just as Director Kim’s father and other bereaved family members had to do.

Even the Minister of Justice acknowledged the shortcomings in the investigation, admitting that the initial police investigation was inadequate. Although the prosecution conducted a supplementary investigation to correct these flaws, it was insufficient to address the deficiencies in the initial investigation. What is even more daunting is the thought that, had the family not requested a supplementary investigation, there may have been no way to resolve their sense of injustice.

The movement to abolish the right to request supplementary investigations is gaining traction within the ruling party. Within the Democratic Party of Korea, so-called advocates of prosecutorial reform argue that internal oversight bodies and inspection organizations within the police can resolve this issue. The opposition, meanwhile, has voiced concerns about such reforms. Former People Power Party lawmaker Kim Woong stated, "It will create a truly sad world for those without money, power, or connections."

This is not to defend certain politically motivated prosecutors. There must be thorough reflection on past wrongdoings, such as distorting or manipulating facts for personal gain or organizational interests, or succumbing to power. However, we must not allow our criticism of their past misdeeds to result in more innocent people suffering injustice and tears.

What should be the minimum standard regarding investigative powers and related issues? From the perspectives of Director Kim, who had to leave his son with no way to help, his father, who demands the truth about the unjust deaths of his son and grandson, and the son left behind, it is to ensure that such injustices never happen again.

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