An active-duty soldier on leave chased down and detained a man in his 50s who struck a woman in her 20s with a rock as she walked home, police said, in an incident that came to light only recently.
According to the Yongin Dongbu Police Station on the 18th, Staff Sgt. Min Kyung-hyun, 24, of the 66th Brigade of the Army's 21st Division, apprehended the man, identified only as A, at around 1 a.m. on the 5th on a road near Myongji University in Yongin's Cheoin District and handed him over to police.
Min, who had returned to his hometown on leave, was walking home after drinks with friends when he heard a woman shouting, "Help me. Please catch that man." He pursued A for about 20 meters, grabbed both of his arms from behind and restrained him for more than 10 minutes, while instructing his friends to stay with the injured woman.
Police initially believed Min was an ordinary civilian. After confirming he was an active-duty soldier, they decided to award him a commendation and a reward for his role in the arrest.
Min entered the Army's noncommissioned officer school in July 2021, was appointed a noncommissioned officer that November and has since served in Yanggu, Gangwon State. "At that moment, the thought of catching him came before any fear, and my body just moved," he said. "I want to continue my military service with the strength and courage to help people in danger."
At the time of the attack, A was fleeing after striking a woman in her 20s, identified only as B, who was walking home while on the phone after finishing a part-time job, according to police. The two had never met. B suffered head bruises requiring an estimated two weeks of recovery and was not in life-threatening condition.
A has multiple prior convictions and told police to the effect that he did not remember his motive, according to police. He was wanted at the time for unpaid fines and other matters. Police arrested him and referred the case to prosecutors on the 15th.