Dozens of post-its on the bulletin board in Korea University with various slogans calling on students to support the protests in Hong Kong. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, May 27 (Korea Bizwire) — Chinese students responsible for ripping off banners placed around the Yonsei University campus to promote democracy in Hong Kong have been indicted without detention.
The Seoul Western District Prosecutor’s Office announced Tuesday that eight Chinese students from Yonsei University have been charged with allegations of damaging public property.
The Prosecutor’s Office asked the court to hold summary proceedings, instead of a formal trial, asking the court to deliberate in written form and punish the students with fines.
The eight Chinese students are facing allegations of arbitrarily taking down six banners put up at Yonsei University by the ‘Korean Students of Yonsei University in Support of Hong Kong’ in October and November of last year.
The ‘Free Hong Kong’ supporters set up four banners with slogans like ‘Liberate Hong Kong’ and ‘Free Hong Kong, revolution of our times,’ at Yonsei University’s Sinchon Campus on Oct. 24 last year.
These banners, however, were taken down by the Chinese students less than 24 hours after they were put up.
Hong Kong supporters made two attempts to put up the banners in November, both of which ended in failure as the Chinese students immediately removed them. They were soon sued by the Hong Kong supporters.
The prosecution did not reveal the exact amount of fines that they were requesting.
Once the summary indictment is made, a judge can either make a summary order as proposed by the prosecution, or refer the case to a formal trial.
The accused, once they receive the summary order from the court, can request a formal trial within seven days to plead innocent.
“We’ve made the decision to go for a summary indictment based on the precedents,” the prosecution said. “We’ve also listened to the Civil Committee on Prosecution, who also made a recommendation for a summary indictment.”
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
