Woman assaulted with brass knuckles at Sillim-dong dies

A 30 year-old man only identified as Choi being escorted by police to attend a court hearing that will determine his arrest. [YONHAP]

 The woman who was brutally attacked with brass knuckles in an alleged rape incident at a park in Sillim-dong, Gwanak District, Seoul, on Thursday, tragically succumbed to her injuries on Saturday.
 
The victim, a woman in her 30s, was assaulted by a 30-year-old man identified only as Choi.  
 
He had trailed her into the park, which was connected to a hiking trail, and carried out the attack in a remote area.
 
A passerby who heard the woman's cries for help alerted the police around 11:44 a.m. The assailant was apprehended at 12:10 p.m.
 
According to law enforcement officials, the perpetrator had viciously beaten the woman, rendering her unconscious.  
 
She remained in that state when she was rushed to the hospital and did not regain consciousness.
 
In spite of the ongoing police investigation, Choi contended that his attempted rape had failed.  
 
When questioned by a reporter about whether he was asserting that his rape attempt had indeed failed, he answered affirmatively, saying "yes."
 
As Choi was being escorted by the police to court for a review of his arrest warrant on Saturday, he expressed remorse by saying he was "sorry."  
 
In response to a question about any further statements, he expressed his hope for the victim's recovery, saying he wished for her to get well soon.
 
According to the police, the assailant had left his residence in Doksan-dong, Geumcheon District, at 9:55 a.m., just two hours prior to the attack. He had purchased two brass knuckles online four months earlier, which he used in his assault.
 
When Choi was first taken into custody, he told the police that the woman had been rendered unconscious by a fallen tree branch.
 
However, he later changed his statement that he had beaten her to rape the woman. 
 
He also told the police that he frequented the park regularly because it was close to home and that he knew the blind spots where surveillance cameras were absent.
 

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]