Director Kim Chang-min, who posthumously saved four lives through organ donation last year, has been confirmed to have died from an assault. The suspects have now been sent to prosecutors.
According to a March 31 report by Newsis, Guri Police in Gyeonggi Province referred two men in their 20s, identified as A and B, to prosecutors without detention on charges of assault resulting in death.
A and B are accused of punching Kim at around 1:10 a.m. on October 20 at a restaurant in Sutaek-dong, Guri, leading to his death. Kim had reportedly visited the restaurant late at night because his son, who is on the autism spectrum, asked to eat pork cutlet. A dispute over noise with other customers escalated into a physical altercation.
Kim collapsed at the scene. Police responded to a call, coordinated with emergency services, and he was taken to a hospital, but he never regained consciousness. He was declared brain-dead on November 7, about two weeks after the incident.
It later became known that Kim saved four people through organ donation. The Korea Organ and Tissue Donation Agency stated, “Director Kim donated his heart, liver, and both kidneys, saving four lives,” adding, “We deeply thank the deceased and the bereaved family for their courageous act of sharing life.”
Kim drew attention in 2016 when he won the Best Director Award at the Police Human Rights Film Festival for the film ‘Nobody's Daughter,’ and continued delivering socially conscious work with ‘Guui Station Exit No.3’ in 2019. He also worked on the art teams for multiple films, including ‘The Witch,’ ‘The Drug King,’ and ‘Firefighters,’ remaining active in Chungmuro.
Police sought arrest warrants for the suspects twice after identifying them, but the court denied both requests. A police official said the warrants were rejected because the suspects had fixed residences and there was no concern about evidence being destroyed.
The bereaved family has raised concerns about the initial response, claiming delays in hospital transport cost precious “golden time.” A dispute over responsibility is expected to unfold during the trial.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)