Assault or a Fight in Korea: What Foreigners Should Do
A shove outside a bar, a taxi argument that escalated, a scuffle where both sides pushed — in Korea these are handled as criminal matters, and the person who calls the police first is often not the person the record ends up favouring.
Assault cases involving foreign nationals usually turn on a short, contested window of time. Both sides describe it differently, one side has a medical certificate, and the only neutral account is whatever CCTV or a phone camera happened to capture. Recovering that footage matters, and it does not stay available for long.
The other common problem is the "both of us were fighting" case. Being hit first does not automatically make your own response lawful, and a mutual fight can leave both people under investigation. How that is framed at the first interview matters more than most people expect.
Attorney Doyun Lee, a Korean Bar Association-certified criminal law specialist, reviews the available footage and record with foreign clients directly in English before the interview.
What the record is built from
Location CCTV and nearby shop cameras, dashcam footage in taxi cases, injury or medical certificates, the 112 report and what was said on that call, photographs of any injury on both sides, and messages exchanged afterwards. Footage is often overwritten within days or weeks, so a preservation request is time-sensitive.
Messages sent after the incident are read as part of the case too. An apology written to calm things down can be read later as an admission, and a heated reply can become a separate allegation. It is worth knowing which of the two you are writing before you send it.
The victim's position, and settlement
For some offences, a victim's expressed wish not to punish ends the case; for others it does not, but still weighs on the disposition. Which category your charge falls into is one of the first things to establish, because it changes whether settlement is a strategy or simply a mitigating step.
Settlement in Korea is not only about an amount. Timing, who makes contact, what is written in the agreement, and whether it is presented to the investigator or the court all affect what it is worth. Contacting the other side directly and repeatedly, before any of that is worked out, tends to make matters worse.
If you are a foreign national
Depending on the charge and the result, an assault case can affect your status of residence, and an active investigation can restrict travel before anything has been decided. For workers and students, the timing of an interview relative to a contract or semester is often a practical problem in itself — interviews can sometimes be rescheduled, but that is done through a request, not by not appearing.
Real results in similar cases
Results reflect individual cases and do not guarantee the outcome of any similar matter.
Related pages
Frequently Asked Questions
The other person hit me first. Am I still a suspect?
Possibly. Korean practice treats a mutual fight as a matter where both participants can be investigated, and self-defence is assessed narrowly against what the record shows. That is precisely why the footage and the first statement matter so much.
CCTV exists but nobody has requested it. What should I do?
Raise it immediately. Footage is routinely overwritten within a short period, and once it is gone the case is decided on two conflicting accounts and a medical certificate. Identifying which cameras cover the location is an early, time-sensitive step.
Should I apologise to the other person?
Not before you understand how the message will be read. An apology can help at the right moment and in the right form, and can be used as an admission at the wrong one. This is worth a short review before sending anything.
Will this affect my visa?
It can, depending on the charge and the final disposition, and an open investigation can also affect travel. The criminal and immigration sides should be reviewed together rather than in sequence.
Can I have a lawyer with me at the police interview?
Yes. You have the right to counsel during police questioning in Korea, and the interview can be prepared in English beforehand — including going through how the Korean-language record will be checked before you sign it.
Already outside Korea and planning to return?
Don't search for a lawyer after you're arrested at the airport. Have your Korean criminal defense attorney in place before you fly.
Pre-Entry Risk Review →Legal Consultation
Talk to Attorney Doyun Lee directly
You communicate directly with the Korean criminal defense attorney handling your case — in English, not through an interpreter or an intake team. KBA-certified criminal law specialist · remote retainer nationwide.
A brief initial email describing your matter is free. Detailed legal advice or evidence review is a paid advisory service (KRW 550,000). Email is available in English and Chinese.
Use the consultation chat on this website to submit your case summary, contact details, and preferred consultation time. Attorney Doyun Lee will contact you using the information you provide.
Phone consultation in English: 30 minutes, KRW 110,000. In-person consultation in English: 30 minutes, KRW 550,000.
The consultation fee is waived if you retain Attorney Doyun Lee for the matter.
View Attorney Doyun Lee’s profile →
Advertising Attorney: Doyun Lee, KBA-certified criminal law specialist, Newlawyer Law Office. This page is general legal information and does not guarantee any specific result.