The Court: "Love Has Disappeared, Leaving Only Petty Threats"
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] A man in his 20s who threatened to expose the fact that his girlfriend had sexual relations with her ex-boyfriend while dating him after she told him she wanted to break up was sentenced to a fine.
According to the legal community on the 23rd, Im Gwangho, presiding judge of Criminal Division 20 at the Seoul Central District Court, recently sentenced A (28) to a fine of 1 million won on charges of intimidation.
Earlier, A was prosecuted for threatening B, his then-girlfriend, by phone and messages in April last year after she notified him of the breakup, saying that he had not received a proper apology and that he would inform people around them or post on the university’s anonymous bulletin board that she had sexual relations with her ex-boyfriend while dating him.
He was investigated to have threatened B by phone, saying, "If I post it on the anonymous bulletin board, it will be a story that will completely turn things upside down. Even if it ruins my life, I intend to do it," and "If you’re going to do it like that, let’s go all the way." In court, A’s side argued, "The statement about posting on the anonymous bulletin board cannot be regarded as a 'threat of harm,' and since the target is not specified, the charge of intimidation does not apply."
However, the court did not accept these claims. A’s remarks were judged to be a specific threat of harm intended to create a dangerous situation where B’s acquaintances could guess that the target was B based on partial information from the anonymous bulletin board. In fact, it was revealed that A posted on the anonymous bulletin board of the university B attended, writing about B meeting her ex-boyfriend during their relationship.
The court added, "He carried out actions to realize the threatened harm," and "The victim had sufficient fear of the defendant’s further actions." In particular, the court emphasized, "While it seems possible that the defendant had concerns and anger within his perception regarding his relationship with the victim he was dating, the responsibility for creating a situation where love disappeared and only petty threats remained is significant."
It continued, "Those petty threats were sadistic acts intended only to cause pain to someone he once loved," and "They are extremely dangerous as they destroy the other party’s dignity and, depending on the case, can cause even greater loss. The crime is serious."
The court concluded, "However, considering that the defendant is a first-time offender and is showing remorse," and "Taking into account his resolve to regain a rational attitude and not reoffend, along with other sentencing factors, the sentence is determined."
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