Members of major Busan gang to surrender if boss released

"Will our boss be OK if we turn ourselves in? Could we also get some benefits? We can`t live with ourselves with our boss in jail."

This was said by a member of the gang named New 20th Century when he called a prosecutor at the Busan Central District Court on April 10. Around that time, investigators were probing the port city`s two key gangs New 20th Century and Chilseongpa, with the head of the former having been arrested. The member said he would turn himself in and asked for his boss` release in return.

Another member said he would turn himself in the next day. He was a former pro baseball player and an infamous thug at a high school in Busan. New 20th Century used his entry to promote recruitment of new members.

After a prosecutor said, "If you turn yourselves in, you might see some benefits," the member and four others turned themselves early last month. With more than 120 members, the gang provided inspiration for the 2001 Korean gangster blockbuster film "Friend."

In their investigation, prosecutors asked them if New 20th Century was the second-largest gang in Busan next to Chilseongpa, to which one member responded by saying, "What are you saying? We`re much more powerful than Chilseongpa. We`ve committed more crimes. We don`t want to belong to Chilseongpa. Please write down what I just said in your investigation minutes."

Prosecutor Rhyu Hyeok at Busan Prosecutors` District Office said, "Many who played sports in high school are members of the gang. Rumors were confirmed as true that gangs recruited members of high school gangs and athletes."

Eleven gang members including the head of New 20th Century were arrested on charges of committing violence and crimes, while four were indicted without detention.

toto@donga.com