Man Faces Charges After Trying to Stop Elderly Abuse on Bus

A man has shared his distressing experience after being fined for intervening in an assault on an elderly man on a bus. In a post on an online community titled 'It's an Assault Case, but I'm So Unjustly Treated,' the author, referred to as A, recounted witnessing a confrontation between a man in his 20s and an elderly man in his 80s about a year ago. A claimed that during the argument, the younger man began to physically assault the elderly man, hitting him with his fists and kicking him. Shocked by the scene, A attempted to intervene, leading to a physical altercation between him and the assailant. As a result, A suffered a fractured nose and was diagnosed with a three-week recovery period, while the elderly man sustained facial injuries requiring over six weeks of healing.

A shared a video capturing the incident, showing the younger man in a light-colored sleeveless shirt arguing with the elderly man before resorting to violence. The situation escalated as A, wearing a black t-shirt, stepped in to break up the fight, only to find himself in a struggle with the assailant. Other passengers, alarmed by the escalating violence, fled the scene. Amid the chaos, the elderly man attempted to grab the younger man's legs, which led to the latter kicking him in the face.

Following the incident, A expressed his frustration at being investigated for joint assault alongside the elderly man. He stated, 'Because I grabbed the assailant's leg to stop the fight, both the grandfather and I are facing charges for violating the law against violent acts (joint assault).' He received a fine of 1 million won. A acknowledged his use of force but emphasized that he couldn't imagine what might have happened to the elderly man had he not intervened. He expressed his confusion and sought advice from others on how to navigate this situation.

Responses from netizens varied, with some noting that any physical contact could lead to mutual assault charges, while others lamented the implications of the law, suggesting that it discourages people from intervening in violent situations. Many expressed a desire for changes to self-defense laws, highlighting the need for legal reform to protect those who act out of a sense of justice.