Unveiling the Busan Roundhouse Kick:
Crime, Consequences, and Confessions
In a case known as the 'Busan Roundhouse Kick' incident, a man named Lee was sentenced to 20 years in prison for his involvement in the attempted murder and sexual assault of a woman in her twenties in Busan. The 'Busan Roundhouse Kick' term pertains to an incident wherein a man used a roundhouse kick to knock down a woman near her residence in Busan. The assailant continued his assault on the victim within the first-floor hallway of her apartment building in the Busanjin District, rendering her unconscious. The perpetrator, who was a stranger to the victim, had pursued her for approximately 10 minutes prior to the attack, following her home around 5 a.m. on that day. After incapacitating her, he allegedly moved her to a location out of the security camera's view and made attempts to undress and sexually assault her. He managed to flee the scene within seven minutes.
As a consequence of this incident, the victim suffered extensive injuries including traumatic intracranial hemorrhage requiring over 16 weeks of medical care, scalp wounds, brain damage, and a right ankle injury with concerns of permanent paralysis. Additionally, she experienced dissociative amnesia, leaving a blank memory span of 2-3 days from the occurrence to hospitalization.
Following a month of intensive medical treatment, she managed to regain the ability to walk. However, due to the lingering impacts of memory loss and reduced concentration, tasks such as design work became challenging. This situation even led to instances of confusion between everyday items, like toothpaste and shampoo. Furthermore, her weight diminished by 10 kg during the course of the trial.
The event garnered significant attention and public outrage when the initial verdict from a lower court handed down a mere 12-year prison term for Lee's conviction on attempted murder charges. However, the situation evolved during the appeal process, as prosecutors unearthed additional evidence, including the assailant's DNA found both inside and outside the victim's jeans and cardigan. This new evidence pointed towards a potential rape attempt, in addition to the initial charge of attempted murder. Consequently, prosecutors pushed for a harsher punishment, seeking a prison term of 35 years.
He put forward a defense claiming that the crime was an accidental occurrence stemming from an apparent street-level disagreement with the victim he coincidentally encountered. He asserted that he was in a state of mental and physical vulnerability due to intoxication. Interestingly, he steadfastly denied the attempted murder charge, challenging the validity of both the judge's verdict and the prosecutor's case, and refrained from offering an apology. The emergence of evidence highlighting his use of threats added a new layer to the unfolding narrative.
Contrary to his claims of absence due to medication administration for a chronic ailment, accounts from witnesses affirmed instances where he engaged in physical warm-ups and exercise, essentially undermining his own arguments. Moreover, his inconsistent behavior during the investigative proceedings was evident as he inadvertently disclosed the victim's residence address and made ominous references to potential retaliation if he were to be released.
Upon further examination, the Busan High Court acknowledged the charges of attempted sexual assault, in addition to the murder charge, leading to a longer prison sentence for Lee compared to the district court's ruling. Despite this, the sentence fell short of the prosecution's original demand. In a troubling revelation, the victim herself disclosed that despite experiencing bleeding from her anus, law enforcement initially overlooked the possibility of a sex crime. Consequently, they failed to gather DNA evidence from her vaginal area. In a YouTube channel, the victim detailed her experience of the incident. She revealed that Lee coerced her into participating in anal sex and further explained that he employed force if she resisted.