1. Introduction to the text
This reading lesson discusses a violent crime that occurred in Siheung, South Korea, where a man named Cha Cheon-nam allegedly attacked several people with a weapon due to a financial dispute. The article provides details on the incident and the suspect’s arrest.
2. Vocabulary
| Korean Word | Romanization | English Meaning | Contextual Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 차철남 | Cha Cheon-nam | The name of the suspect | Cha Cheon-nam is accused of attacking several people with a weapon. |
| 돈 | don | money | Cha Cheon-nam claimed he committed the crime because the victims did not pay back the money he had lent them. |
| 흉기 | honggi | a weapon | Cha Cheon-nam used a weapon to attack the victims. |
| 인근 | ingeun | nearby | The incident took place in a park near the area where Cha Cheon-nam was arrested. |
| 검거 | geomgeo | arrest | Cha Cheon-nam was arrested about an hour after a public manhunt was launched. |
3. The main text in both Korean and English
[앵커] 시흥 흉기살인 사건의 용의자 차철남은 최초 신고가 들어온지 10시간 만에, 공개 수배로 전환된 지 1시간 여만에 체포됐습니다. 차철남은 “빌려준 돈을 갚지 않아 범행했다”고 주장했는데요.
[The anchor] The suspect in the Siheung knife murder case, Cha Cheon-nam, was arrested about an hour after a public manhunt was launched, 10 hours after the initial report was made. Cha Cheon-nam claimed that he committed the crime because the victims did not pay back the money he had lent them.
[기자] 한 남성이 자전거를 타고 공원 주차장을 가로지릅니다. 70대 남성에게 흉기를 휘두른 직후 도주하는 57살 차철남입니다. 차철남은 경기도 시흥시에서 2명을 살해하고 2명에게 흉기를 휘둘러 중상을 입혔고 공개수배 끝에 신고 10시간만에 긴급 체포됐습니다.
[The reporter] A man on a bicycle crosses the park parking lot. This is 57-year-old Cha Cheon-nam, who fled after attacking an elderly man with a weapon. Cha Cheon-nam killed two people and seriously injured two others with a weapon in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, and was urgently arrested 10 hours after the initial report, following a public manhunt.
경찰로 압송된 차철남은 돈을 안 갚아서 범행을 저질렀다면서도 계획한 건 아니라고 주장했습니다.
Cha Cheon-nam, who was taken into police custody, claimed that he committed the crime because the victims did not pay back the money, but said it was not a premeditated act.
<차철남/용의자> “(피해자들께 할 말 없습니까?) 참 마음이 아프네요.
[Cha Cheon-nam, the suspect] “(Do you have nothing to say to the victims?) It really pains my heart.”
4. Reading comprehension questions
- What was the main reason Cha Cheon-nam allegedly committed the crime?
- How long did it take for Cha Cheon-nam to be arrested after the initial report was made?
- How many people did Cha Cheon-nam kill and injure during the incident?
- What was Cha Cheon-nam’s claim regarding the premeditation of the crime?
- What was Cha Cheon-nam’s reaction when asked if he had anything to say to the victims?
5. Cultural and historical notes
This incident highlights the potential for violence to erupt over financial disputes in South Korean society. The rapid police response and public manhunt also demonstrate the country’s efforts to quickly apprehend suspects in serious crimes.