Busan Roundhouse Kick Case

A case in which a woman returning home in Busan in 2023 was followed and assaulted, sentenced to 20 years in prison at the appellate court—a grave case of sexual violence and violent crime

Busan Roundhouse Kick Case

Overview

The Busan Roundhouse Kick Case (부산 돌려차기 사건) refers to an incident in the early hours of May 22, 2023, in the Busanjin-gu area of Busan Metropolitan City, in which a man in his twenties followed a woman in her twenties who was on her way home and assaulted her with a kick to the head in the so-called "roundhouse kick" manner, inflicting serious injuries. The victim suffered grave injuries including brain damage and received treatment for an extended period, while the perpetrator was sentenced to 12 years in prison at the first instance and 20 years at the appellate court, with the sentence finalized by the Supreme Court in the first half of 2024. The case sparked social debate over the severity of violence against women, the appropriateness of the sentence, and victim protection issues in the investigation and trial process.

Key Details

Course of Events

The perpetrator is known to have confirmed that the victim was returning home alone, followed her for several hundred meters, and then, in a sparsely populated alley, suddenly approached the fleeing victim while pretending to ask for help. He then struck her head hard with his foot, and the victim, having collapsed, was subjected to further assault and transported to a hospital unconscious. Immediately after the incident, the perpetrator left the scene and was later arrested by police; during the investigation, whether there had been an intent to commit a sexual violence crime emerged as a key issue.

Trial Proceedings and Issues

First instance: The court found the charges related to injury and sexual violence partially guilty and sentenced the defendant to 12 years in prison.
Appeal: The prosecution and the victim's side appealed on the grounds that the sentence was too light, and the appellate court, recognizing that the defendant had tracked and assaulted the victim with the purpose of committing a sexual violence crime, sentenced him to 20 years in prison.
Key issues: ① the planning of the crime and the act of tracking the victim; ② the victim's grave injuries; ③ the circumstances after the crime and whether the defendant showed remorse; ④ whether the claim of diminished mental capacity due to alcohol intoxication was accepted.
Supreme Court: In the first half of 2024, the Supreme Court dismissed the final appeal, finalizing the 20-year prison sentence.

Social Repercussions

The case, together with similar gender-based violence cases, brought the issue of "women's safety" into public discourse. Criticism was particularly directed at the fact that the violence was indiscriminate and occurred during a late-night return home, and that the first-instance sentence was low despite the victim's serious injuries. Through national petitions and online public opinion, demands continued for heavier sentencing and the disclosure of the perpetrator's identity, and discussions spread regarding the effectiveness of laws on stalking and sexual violence and the electronic ankle bracelet system, as well as the need to expand court-appointed counsel for victims and treatment support.

Institutional and Legal Implications

The case revealed challenges in investigation regarding the difficulty of proving "criminal purpose" in sexual violence crimes, problems in trial practice surrounding the credibility of victim statements, and the task of ensuring consistency in sentencing guidelines. It also called for a review of how systems such as protective measures, therapeutic custody, and electronic monitoring actually function for victim recovery and the prevention of recidivism.

Recent Developments

Since 2024, even after the sentence was finalized, the case has continued to be cited as an example in victim support and recidivism prevention measures. In 2024–2025, follow-up legislative and policy discussions continued, including debates on amendments to the Stalking Punishment Act and the Sexual Violence Punishment Act, strengthening personal protection measures, and expanding court-appointed lawyers for victims, and the case is also being used as a reference in sentencing decisions in similar cases. At the same time, warnings have been raised about secondary harm surrounding the case, the online distribution of the victim's personal information, and the spread of false information related to the perpetrator.