"I'm Coming to Get You Now"... Former Secretary to Na Kyung-won Found Guilty of Verbal Abuse Against Middle School Student

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Jo] A former secretary to Na Kyung-won, a former member of the National Assembly from the United Future Party, who was charged with verbally abusing and threatening a middle school student, has been confirmed guilty.

The Supreme Court's 3rd Division (Presiding Justice Min Yu-sook) upheld the original sentence of a 1 million KRW fine in the appeal trial of Mr. A, who was charged with intimidation. The court stated, "Mr. A's appeal petition is without merit, and since no statement of reasons for appeal was submitted within the legal period, the appeal is dismissed."

In May 2018, Mr. A was prosecuted for making threatening remarks such as "I will come to catch you now" during a phone call with middle school student Mr. B, following media reports about former lawmaker Na. The prosecution filed a summary indictment against Mr. A with a 1 million KRW fine, but Mr. A requested a formal trial. Both the first and second trials sentenced him to a 1 million KRW fine, stating that Mr. A had communicated specific threats of harm.

The first trial acknowledged that Mr. A's remarks were made in a moment of anger and excitement but ruled that they constituted a "specific threat of harm," sentencing him to a 1 million KRW fine. Mr. A appealed, but the second trial upheld the same judgment as the first trial.