By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
A riot policeman will be charged with assault for kicking a female demonstrator in the head during a rally against the government's decision to resume American beef imports.
The National Police Agency (NPA) said Thursday that they will take legal action on the 21-year-old policeman, identified only as Kim of the Seoul Metropolitan Mobile Police, for his use of violence. Two of his seniors will also be suspended from duty and four other officers will be disciplined. South Korean men can apply to join the riot police as an alternative to their mandatory military service.
The beating and kicking of the female student was shown in a video clip on the Internet, triggering public anger and seeing calls for the punishment of policemen responsible.
In the clip, Kim grabbed the victim's hair and threw her down beside a parked police bus while dispersing protestors near Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul around 2:30 a.m. Sunday. As she attempted to crawl under the bus, Kim kicked her in the head several times. She managed to hide beneath the bus, screaming out in pain.
``Kim admitted grabbing her hair and throwing her down, but denied kicking her. But all eyewitnesses gave the same testimony, so we acknowledged his assault,'' an NPA police officer said.
The 21-year-old victim, Lee Na-rae, a student at the Seoul National University's music college, said she was hit again by another riot policeman after coming from under the bus. Police are investigating whether there was another attacker besides Kim.
``We deeply apologize to the victims and their families for their injuries and other ugly situations during the massive candlelit vigils. The NPA will directly apologize to Lee and her family soon,'' the officer said.
Lee is receiving treatment at a hospital near her school for head pains, according to the officer.
``Learning from this case police will improve manuals for the use of water cannons and shields and riot police officers will be given lectures on human rights and safety, so that such a case will not recur,'' he said.
Police have been denounced for their ``excessive'' use of violence against ralliers, including firing a water cannon directly at protestors at close range. Dozens of injured citizens filed a lawsuit against the police early this week.