Court Sentences 60-Year-Old to 9 Months Imprisonment for Assaulting Bus Driver Over "Please Wear a Mask" Request

[Asia Economy Choi Seok-jin, Legal Affairs Specialist Reporter] A man in his 60s who assaulted a bus driver demanding that passengers wear masks and caused a disturbance was sentenced to prison.

The Ulsan District Court Criminal Division 5 (Judge Han Yoon-ok) announced on the 9th that it sentenced A (67), who was indicted on charges of obstruction of business and assault, to 9 months in prison.

The court stated, "The defendant has been punished multiple times in the past for disturbances at hospital emergency rooms and police stations, yet committed another crime during the probation period. Despite this, he denies the crime and claims everything was fabricated, showing no remorse whatsoever."

It added, "Considering the repeated criminal acts that disregard public authority and legal order, a severe punishment is inevitable," explaining the sentencing rationale.

In June of last year, at a bus stop in Jung-gu, Ulsan, A boarded a bus and when the bus driver B asked him to wear his mask properly, A verbally abused B and shouted at passengers to "take another bus," disrupting the bus operation for about 15 minutes.

Additionally, when B got off the bus to smoke, A followed him off and assaulted B by stabbing his shoulder and abdomen with an umbrella he was carrying.

It was also investigated that A grabbed the clothes and pushed the chest of a police officer who arrived in response to the report.