"You're Cute, I'll Take You Home": Duo Tries Luring Elementary Student Three Times, Claims It Was "Just a Joke"

A two-person duo accused of attempting to kidnap elementary school students near a school in Seodaemun-gu by approaching them and offering to take them home has denied the charges during their first trial.

Judge Kim Min-jung of Criminal Division 9 at the Seoul Western District Court held the first trial today (October 16) for two men in their 20s, identified as A and B, who face charges of attempted luring of minors and child abuse in violation of the Child Welfare Act.

Both A and B stated today that they deny all charges.

Following the trial, their defense counsel explained, "While we acknowledge the factual basis, such as approaching the children and speaking to them, there was completely no intention to lure them into a car, take control of them, or commit a kidnapping. It was simply a joke."

The defendants are accused of driving around near an elementary school in Hongeun-dong, Seodaemun-gu, on August 28 of last year, approaching students leaving school, telling them "You're cute, I'll take you home," and attempting to lure them three times.

The crimes ended in attempts as the students fled.

At the time, the Seodaemun Police Station initially dismissed the first report as a "misunderstood report" after checking only some of the nearby closed-circuit (CCTV) cameras.

However, as additional reports followed after the nearby elementary school distributed a notice to households warning of "kidnapping caution," the police re-examined the CCTV footage and launched a reinvestigation, emergency arresting three individuals, including A.

Seven months after the incident, in March of last year, police forwarded A and B to prosecutors without detention on charges of attempted luring of minors, while deciding not to forward the remaining individual, judging their degree of involvement to be minimal.

During the investigation, police applied for arrest warrants for A and B, but the court dismissed them, stating that there was room for debate regarding the facts of the charges and intent.

The Seoul Western District Prosecutors' Office, which took over the case, conducted supplementary investigations including additional suspect questioning and review of CCTV records, and indicted them with the additional charge of child abuse.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
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