This image, captured from Caracula’s Detective Office YouTube channel, shows the personal information of Mr. A, the perpetrator of the “Busan roundhouse kick” incident. (Yonhap)
BUSAN, June 5 (Korea Bizwire) — In the film “A Time to Kill (1996),” a black father takes the law into his own hands when he shoots and kills two white men in a courtroom.
He commits this act of vigilante justice as a response to the rape of his young daughter by two white supremacists, fearing that the legal system will fail to deliver justice.
Vigilante justice refers to acts of punishment or violence carried out by individuals or groups without involving the judicial system.
They are commonly witnessed in real life, literature, and films, where victims or individuals affected by the crime take matters into their own hands due to a perceived lack of proper punishment under the law.
Recently, a YouTuber ignited a heated debate by revealing the identity of the perpetrator in an incident known as the “don’t ask, don’t tell” assault, also referred to as the “Busan roundhouse kick” incident.
On Friday, Detective Caracula, a YouTube content creator who covers incidents and accidents, released a nine-minute video containing detailed information about the perpetrator of the Busan roundhouse kick incident, identified as 30-year-old Mr. A.
Caracula’s video included Mr. A’s photo, name, date of birth, height, blood type, and criminal record, as well as an interview with the victim.
“I constantly questioned the ethical implications of disclosing the perpetrator’s identity on a private YouTube channel, rather than through an official agency,” Caracula explained, acknowledging the potential legal consequences of factual defamation for revealing the perpetrator’s identity without following proper due process.
He added, “I also worried about potentially triggering a cycle of retaliatory criminal acts against the perpetrators, which would cross the line into vigilante justice.”
In this photo captured from a video image of Yonhap News TV, Mr. A can be seen assaulting a woman in an apartment building in the southeastern port city of Busan on May 22, 2022.
Caracula emphasized that the victim expressed a strong desire to reveal the identity of the perpetrator, a crucial detail overlooked by the investigative agency.
Concerned about the victim’s fear of retaliation, Caracula felt that the only way, as a YouTuber, to share the pain was to disclose the perpetrator’s identity.
Since the video’s release, online communities have expressed both support for revealing the perpetrator’s identity and concerns regarding the handling of vigilante justice.
Law enforcement agencies are required to disclose the identity of individuals involved in violent crimes under certain circumstances, such as cases involving severe brutality and significant harm, or when it serves the public interest by ensuring the right to information, preventing further offenses, and deterring crime.
However, strict scrutiny is applied to protect human rights and prevent potential abuse, considering relevant regulations before determining whether identity disclosure is appropriate.
In this context, Caracula’s disclosure of Mr. A’s personal information likely constitutes an illegal act.
The Busan District Court (Yonhap)
The victim in this case reportedly appeared on Caracula’s YouTube broadcast, expressing frustration with the standards for disclosing information.
YouTube has notified the YouTuber that the content may violate the Privacy Act, and a decision on potential restrictions will be made within 48 hours.
The following day, Caracula posted a message on YouTube’s community board, stating, “I received a notification of monetization restrictions after 48 hours due to the identity disclosure. It’s disheartening, but I have no choice. Please support the channel by donating.”
The “Busan roundhouse kick” incident took place in May of last year at the main entrance of an office building in Busanjin district in Busan.
In October, the Busan District Court sentenced Mr. A to 12 years in prison for attempted murder in the initial trial. Both the prosecution and defense appealed, and the trial is currently ongoing.
The second trial court decided to reexamine the evidence, and when Mr. A’s DNA was discovered on the victim’s pants, the prosecution sought to change the indictment to attempted rape and murder on March 31, requesting a 35-year prison sentence.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
