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Man allegedly attempts to abduct 2-year old in Dongdaemun

Published: 06 Oct. 2025, 13:47

A screen capture of a Channel A news showing a man allegedly attempting to abduct a two-year-old girl at a traditional market in Seoul. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Police have apprehended a man in his 60s for allegedly attempting to abduct a two-year-old girl at a traditional market in Seoul.

According to the Dongdaemun Police Station on Monday, the suspect was detained on charges of attempted abduction of a minor. He allegedly tried to carry off the child around 9:50 p.m. on Oct. 4 in an alleyway at a traditional market in Dongdaemun District.

The girl’s parents and nearby citizens chased after the man and stopped him before the situation escalated into an actual kidnapping.

Video footage of the incident shows the man suddenly approaching the child, who was playing in the alley, lifting her in his arms, and walking away.

A witness told Channel A that the man appeared intoxicated. “He took the child some distance away, and when she started crying, her mother ran after them,” the witness said.

During questioning, the suspect told police he was drunk at the time and could not remember what happened. Police are investigating his motive and are considering whether to request an arrest warrant.

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]]