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After a recent incident in which a defendant on trial in court was attacked with a weapon by a member of the audience, the court installed acrylic protective barriers in the courtroom for the first time in its history.

(Omitted)

Attorney Chon Hyeong Hwan of YK Law Firm said, “It appears that the security screening was carried out only as a formality. Since A would have been caught if he had placed the weapon in his bag, he likely hid it somewhere on his body.”

He added, “Even in ordinary circumstances, there are often cases where people are allowed to enter even when the metal detector at the courtroom entrance beeps. At the time, I believe the court security officers responded carelessly, partly because so many people regularly enter and exit the courthouse.”

Regarding measures to prevent a recurrence, Attorney Chon said, “First of all, security screening must be conducted thoroughly when people enter courtrooms. The bringing in of dangerous items, such as weapons, must be strictly prohibited.”

He pointed out, “Although gas guns may be issued, they are tools for immediate response and cannot serve as a fundamental measure.”

Attorney Chon further advised, “At present, one court officer is assigned to each courtroom, but because they focus mainly on the progress of the trial, they may be insufficiently prepared to respond to incidents like this.”

He added, “For trials that attract significant public attention, court officers should be deployed more densely.”

Source: Aju Business Daily, Reporter Kwon Kyu-hong, “[Kwon Kyu-hong’s Legal Mind] Protective Barriers Installed in Courtrooms… Can Courtroom Terror Attacks Be Fundamentally Prevented?” September 26, 2024.
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