Photo courtesy: SM Entertainment
On the 13th, a netizen who said he was a NCT Wish fan shared his experience through X (formerly Twitter). He said that at the airport, a security guard signaled him to get out of the way, and that there were too many people around him, making it difficult to move. In this situation, the security guard pushed him against the wall, and although he asked "please stop pushing," he claimed that the security guard suddenly hit him hard on the head.
On the 8th, just five days ago, a fan of the group Hearts to Hearts also had a similar experience. While the members were leaving the country, fans gathered around them, and in the process, female A bumped into one of the members, and was assaulted by a security guard while trying to stop her.
In response to this, SM Entertainment explained on JTBC's 'Incidence Team Leader' on the 10th, "A sasaeng fan showed unexpected behavior at the airport, and a physical conflict occurred in the process of restraining him." However, the next day, a netizen claiming to be Mr. A emphasized through As a result, scenes of angry citizens leaving the country spread on social media, sparking controversy over the issue of 'airport nuisance'. Also, in 2023, there was an incident in which NCT Dream's bodyguard caused a five-week injury while restraining a woman in her 30s and was sent to the prosecution.
However, in a situation where there is a lack of clear evidence to conclude that she is a Sasaeng fan, the legal judgment is likely to vary depending on the statements and circumstances of both sides.
Minsu Kim, a public interest legal officer at the Suwon High Prosecutors' Office, explained, "If a private security guard assaults a fan, he can be punished for assault or injury under Articles 257 to 261 of the Criminal Act." He also added, "If a sasaeng fan poses a threat to life or body or invades privacy, the act of stopping it may be recognized as self-defense." He said, “If the security guard’s actions are the only option and the interests they are trying to protect are greater even if it causes minor damage to the fans, it may be considered an emergency evacuation and not punished.”
In the end, it is important for airport authorities to prepare effective regulations. Los Angeles International Airport in the United States and Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom provide private terminals and exclusive VIP areas for celebrities. France's Charles de Gaulle Airport also has separate entrances, and Japan's Narita and Haneda airports have regulations requiring a distance of more than 50 meters to be maintained between celebrities and fans.
In October last year, Incheon International Airport Corporation prepared a new procedure for the use of celebrity-only entrances following the controversy over actor Byun Woo-seok's airport security, and sent an official letter to each agency. However, some people complained about this, asking why preferential treatment should be provided for the personal benefit of celebrities.
Democratic Party lawmaker Jeon Yong-gi pointed out in a comprehensive audit of the National Assembly, "Providing exclusive entrances to celebrities can cause relative deprivation to the general public and has the potential to classify celebrities." He also revealed a loophole in the regulations by mentioning, "The recipients of the official documents are mainly large agencies, and small agencies are not included."