30s University Student Fined for Causing Injury While Assisting with Class Stretching

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[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] A man in his 30s who was prosecuted for injuring another student while helping with stretching at university was sentenced to a fine in the first trial.

According to the court on the 3rd, Judge Im Gwangho of the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 20 recently sentenced A (34, female), who was charged with negligent injury, to a fine of 1.5 million won.

Earlier, A was prosecuted on charges of injuring B (21, female), a student at the same university, while helping her with a 'leg split stretching' around 5:30 p.m. on March 15, 2021, at a university in Seoul before class.

At the time, A pressed strongly on B’s back while B was lying on the floor with her upper body down and legs spread apart, and B was found to have injured the muscle in her left thigh, resulting in an injury requiring seven weeks of treatment.

The prosecution pointed out, "As a person assisting with stretching, there was a duty of care to proceed in a safe manner to prevent injury to the other person's body."

The first trial found A guilty, recognizing the causal relationship between A’s actions and the injury sustained by B.

Judge Im stated, "The testimonies of the victim and witnesses are quite detailed and consistent, and they match each other in important parts. Especially, the witness testimony from a ballet major who led the stretching and observed the accident process is quite objective." He added, "Considering the circumstances and process of the accident, the defendant’s words and actions at the time, and the injury location and details, it appears that the defendant applied sudden excessive force."

However, he added, "The defendant is a first-time offender, and the degree of breach of duty of care is not very severe," and "Other sentencing factors such as age, economic situation, and character were also considered."

A appealed the first trial verdict.