Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
Kazakh man extradited to Korea for injuring child in hit-and-run
Police detain a Kazakh man at Incheon International Airport, Monday, after he was extradited for alleged involvement in a hit-run accident that seriously injured a boy. Yonhap
By Jung Min-ho
By Jung Min-ho
A Kazakh man has been detained here after being extradited from his country over a hit-and-run that seriously injured a Korean boy, 7, last month.
The National Police Agency said Monday that police detained the man, 20, whose identity is being withheld, when he arrived at Incheon International Airport around 7:50 a.m.
The suspect faces charges of hitting the first grader on a road with a vehicle at Changwon in South Gyeongsang Province, Sept. 16, before fleeing. The boy suffered a fractured skull and a brain hemorrhage.
The next day, the suspect returned home via Uzbekistan.
Police said he was staying in Korea illegally and had no driver's license. The car he drove was registered under a different person's name, they said.
The issue came into the spotlight after the boy's parents posted a petition on the Cheong Wa Dae website on Sept. 17 to call for a thorough investigation.
In cooperation with the Ministry of Justice, police asked for help from Interpol, which issued a Red Notice.
Meanwhile, the ministry asked the Kazakhstan government to extradite the man to Korea.
Police said the suspect admitted committing the offense.
The incident prompted the ministry to introduce measures to restrict foreigners staying here illegally.
Under the current “voluntary departure prior notification system,” non-Koreans staying here illegally could leave on the day of departure as long as they were not under a travel ban. The new system will require them to go through a tighter inspection process.