13-year-old boy gets beat up on the streets of Japan for speaking Korean

SEE ALSO: Korea’s best food alleys that every traveler should try

According to SBS, Shin's family recently traveled to Japan for a family trip. In the city of Osaka, the mother, son, and daughter were walking across a bridge while exchanging a conversation in Korean. Unexpectedly, a strange Japanese man in his 20's approached Shin and kicked him in the stomach. The man continued to physically and also verbally assault the 13-year-old and demanded he fight back. During the brawl, the mother also got hit in the arms while trying to protect her son. 

After the terrifying incident, Shin's mother stated, "There were about 20 people around us but none to help. I think our family became victims of a hate crime, similar to the recent wasabi terror in Japanese restaurants." (Certain restaurants in Japan have been overloading wasabi in Korean customers' sushi.)

In response to the growing discrimination against Korean travelers, the Consulate General of The Republic of Korea in Osaka stated, "Recently, many incidents have been reported regarding harm against Korean citizens in Osaka. The incidents tend to be more frequent during evening hours, so we advise travelers to be more cautious."