Kim Chang-min’s Assault Case: Key Insights from the Perpetrator’s Apology and Investigation Updates

the late director Kim Chang-min / Photo=social media

[Sports Today reporter Kim Tae-hyung] A, the suspect in the assault that resulted in the death of director Kim Chang-min, issued a public apology through the media.

On the 8th, Newsis published an interview with A. He said, \”I know I have committed a grave wrong against Director Kim Chang-min and his bereaved family.\” He added that he did not have the family’s contact information, and that he had repeatedly asked investigators to pass along his apologies and his desire to reach a settlement, but he received no response.

A said he wanted to meet the family in person to apologize but had no way of obtaining their contact details. \”I am sorry that my apology had to come first through the media. If given the chance, I will visit them and apologize directly,\” he said.

He also insisted, \”I had no intention of harming Director Kim, and I tried very hard to prevent a fight.\” He drew attention by saying, \”Many aspects of that day’s events have been reported inaccurately.\” A said he sympathizes deeply with a family that lost a father and a son and feels so guilty that it is inappropriate for him to discuss the details now. He added that the prosecution’s investigation and the trial will establish the full facts of that day.

Finally, he said, \”Too many people, including Director Kim and his family, have suffered because of this incident, and the harm is spreading even to people who are not involved. I understand the public’s anger. I promise to cooperate sincerely and honestly with the prosecution’s investigation, and I ask everyone to wait a short while for the results.\”

The victim, the late director Kim Chang-min, entered the film industry in 2013 as a props assistant on the film Suspect. He later worked on art teams for films such as Captain Kim Chang-su, The Witch, Cheonmun: Asking the Sky, Rain and Your Stories, and Firefighter. His directorial works include No One’s Daughter and Guui Station Exit 3; he won Best Director at the 2016 Police Human Rights Film Festival for No One’s Daughter.

On Oct. 20 of last year, he and his son visited a restaurant in Guri, Gyeonggi Province, where they were assaulted. Witnesses said six people were involved in the attack, and some in the group laughed while watching a victim who had been rendered unconscious by a rear-naked choke.

Kim was taken to a hospital about an hour after authorities were notified, but he was declared brain-dead from a cerebral hemorrhage. He died on Nov. 7, 2025, roughly two weeks after the incident. He was 40 years old and donated his organs, giving four people a second chance at life.

On the 5th, the Uijeongbu District Prosecutors’ Office, Namyangju branch, formed a dedicated investigation team to clarify the circumstances of the assault that led to Director Kim’s death. On the 7th, Justice Minister Jeong Seong-ho said the prosecution received the case from the Guri Police on April 2, promptly formed a dedicated team, and has begun supplemental investigations to thoroughly uncover the facts and bring those involved to justice.

[Sports Today reporter Kim Tae-hyung ent@stoo.com]
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