Apartment Resident Who Assaulted Security Guard Appeals 5-Year Prison Sentence in First Trial

A security guard at an apartment in Ui-dong, Sangbuk-gu, Seoul, who took his own life claiming to be 'unfairly treated,' is being mourned by the residents of the apartment complex, who set up a memorial altar on the 11th to honor him. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] Shim Mo (49), a resident who was sentenced to 5 years in prison in the first trial for assaulting the late Choi Hee-seok, a security guard at an apartment in Gangbuk-gu, Seoul, has filed an appeal against the first trial verdict.

According to the legal community on the 15th, Shim submitted the appeal to the 13th Criminal Division of the Seoul Northern District Court (Chief Judge Heo Kyung-ho) the day before.

Shim is accused of continuously assaulting and threatening Choi, a security guard, after a dispute over parking at an apartment in Ui-dong, Gangbuk-gu, Seoul, where he lives, on April 21 this year. Choi left a will stating that he had been assaulted and threatened by Shim, and then took his own life on May 10.

The first trial court recognized all the charges against Shim as guilty and sentenced him to 5 years in prison on the 10th.

Earlier, the prosecution indicted Shim on a total of seven charges, including retaliatory confinement and retaliatory assault under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, false accusation, attempted coercion, threats, and injury. The prosecution requested a 9-year prison sentence for Shim at the sentencing hearing on the 7th.