Three men in their 20s have been indicted for shooting three dogs with BB guns and inflicting severe injuries, prosecutors said Monday.
The attack took place at around 1 a.m. on June 8, 2025, when the suspects allegedly trespassed onto a restaurant property in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province, and targeted three dogs tied in the yard. They fired plastic pellets at close range, aiming at the animals’ eyes. One dog later had an eye removed due to the injuries.
Another dog died the following day, but investigators did not pursue additional charges, citing a lack of clear evidence linking the death directly to the attack.
The suspects face charges including trespassing, violation of the Animal Protection Act, special destruction of property and breaches of firearms safety regulations. Under Korean law, modifying BB guns to increase their destructive power or using them unlawfully can carry criminal penalties.
Two of the suspects were active-duty conscripts at the time. One remains in military service and is being tried in a military court, while the other has since been discharged and had his case transferred to the Busan District Prosecutors’ Office.
Prosecutors in Busan indicted the discharged suspect and a third civilian suspect last month and referred them for trial.
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com
