The Namyangju branch of the Uijeongbu District Prosecutors' Office formed a dedicated investigation team and began full-fledged supplementary investigations in connection with the injury and death case involving the late film director Kim Chang-min.
The Namyangju branch said on the 5th that immediately after receiving the case from police on the 2nd, it organized a dedicated team led by the criminal division 2 Head of Team, composed of three prosecutors and five investigators.
Prosecutors said they will actively use forensic techniques and reflect the judgment of a prosecutor with medical expertise in the investigation to supplement the case swiftly and sternly, adding they will ensure the victim's side is not left with any sense of injustice.
In the early morning of Oct. 20 last year, Director Kim collapsed after being assaulted during a dispute with other patrons while at a restaurant in Guri, Gyeonggi Province, with a son who has a developmental disability. He was transported to a hospital about an hour later but did not regain consciousness, and on Nov. 7 of the same year, was declared brain-dead. In accordance with the wishes of the bereaved family, organ donation was carried out and organs were transplanted to four people.
Police applied for arrest warrants on charges of injury resulting in death for two people, including a person surnamed A who assaulted Director Kim and a person surnamed B who was identified as having joined in later, but the request was returned once due to the prosecution's request for supplementation. After supplementary investigation, they reapplied for the warrants, but the court rejected them, citing stable residences and no risk of evidence destruction.
In the end, police referred the suspects to prosecutors without detention. During this process, the bereaved family raised issues, saying that the initial investigation was insufficient despite multiple perpetrators, and subsequent procedures were also inadequate. The Gyeonggi Northern Provincial Police Agency is also said to be reviewing whether the investigation process at the time was appropriate.
Director Kim won the best director award at the Police Human Rights Film Festival for the short film "Someone's Daughter," and directed "Exit 3 at Guui Station," "Boiler," and "Reply." He also worked as crew on commercial films such as "The Drug King," "The Witch," and "The Firefighter."