'COVID-19 False Statement' Academy Instructor Sentenced to 6 Months in Prison on Appeal... Court Says "Social Loss Is Significant"

Incheon District Court Dismisses Both Defendant's and Prosecution's Appeals

Incheon District Court

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] An instructor at a private academy in Incheon, who caused controversy by lying about their occupation and movements during the epidemiological investigation after contracting the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), was sentenced to prison again in the appellate trial.

The Criminal Division 4 of the Incheon District Court (Presiding Judge Ko Young-gu) dismissed both the appeal by the instructor A (25), who was detained and prosecuted on charges of violating the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Act, and the prosecution's appeal at the appellate sentencing hearing on the 4th, sentencing A to six months in prison, the same as the original sentence.

The court explained, "The defendant is reflecting on the crime and is a first-time offender," and "It is a favorable circumstance that the defendant made a wrong judgment momentarily without anticipating irreversible consequences."

However, the court judged, "Until the defendant's false statements were detected, epidemiological investigations and self-quarantine of contacts were not conducted in a timely manner, resulting in the transmission of the COVID-19 virus to about 60 people," and "This caused significant socio-economic losses and the fear experienced by community members was indescribably great."

Furthermore, the court stated, "Considering all these points, the original court's judgment does not appear to be unjust," dismissing both A's and the prosecution's appeals.

Earlier, the first trial court sentenced A to six months in prison, considering that the defendant's crime caused significant social and economic losses and that the defendant denied part of the crime during the investigation, showing unfavorable circumstances after the crime.

However, both A and the prosecution appealed against this. The prosecution had requested the maximum statutory sentence of two years in prison for A under the relevant law.

A was reported to the Incheon city authorities and detained on charges of making more than 20 false statements or concealing facts about their occupation and movements during the initial epidemiological investigation after being confirmed positive for COVID-19 in May this year.

Because he lied about his occupation and movements, contacts were not quarantined or tested in advance, leading to a surge in community infections, and the transmission originating from A resulted in cases of '7th generation infection.'