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Man admits he tried to abduct elementary student in Jeju

Published: 06 Nov. 2025, 14:12

An image of a statue of Justitia, the goddess of justice [KOREA JOONGANG DAILY]

A man in his 30s admitted in court to attempting to lure and abduct an elementary school girl in Jeju Island.

The Jeju District Court recently held the first hearing for the man who was indicted on charges of attempted enticement of a minor and violating the Child Welfare Act, according to the legal community on Wednesday.

The man is accused of approaching the elementary school girl around 2:40 p.m. on Sept. 9 near a roadside about 170 meters (557.7 feet) from an elementary school in Jungmun-dong, Seogwipo, Jeju, and attempting to lure her into his car.

He allegedly told the girl, “I have a fun job for you,” in an attempt to get her into the vehicle. However, when she tried to check the license plate, the man fled the scene.

The girl reported the incident at a nearby police box and provided the license plate number. Police analyzed nearby CCTV footage and apprehended the suspect within approximately three hours.

The man, an office worker, reportedly has a criminal record that includes previous convictions for harassment.

His attorney said during the trial, “The defendant admits to the charges,” but requested that the court move up the hearing to allow time to reach a settlement with the victim.

The next hearing is scheduled for Dec. 19.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM EUN-BIN [[email protected]]