A man in his 50s with a mental illness has been arrested after attempting to lure five elementary school children in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province.
The Yeosu Police Station said Friday it arrested the man, identified only as A, on charges of attempted abduction of minors, and placed him under emergency psychiatric hospitalization.
A is accused of attempting to lure five elementary school children near a convenience store in Hwajang-dong, Yeosu, at around 2 p.m. Wednesday.
The investigation found that A had approached the children saying, "Call me dad, let's go together."
Nearby residents who found his behavior suspicious intervened, preventing the attempt.
Police received a report from the children's parents and arrested A as he was wandering in a nearby park.
A was placed under emergency hospitalization for three days due to his mental illness.
Police said they plan to determine the full circumstances of the incident and decide how to proceed with his case once he is discharged.
mss@heraldcorp.com
