"SNS Promotion," Boss Threatens Employee with Kitchen Knife... Fined in First Trial

A man in his 40s who threatened an employee with a kitchen knife after the employee refused to promote his store was fined in the first trial.

According to the legal community on the 6th, Judge Kang Seong-su of the Criminal Division 1 at the Seoul Western District Court ordered a fine of 3 million won and the confiscation of the seized kitchen knife for A (40), who is accused of special intimidation and other charges, on the 24th of last month. The court explained the sentencing by stating, "Since he threatened the victim with a knife without any particular reason, he must bear appropriate responsibility," but also noted, "He has no prior criminal record, and the victim does not wish for the defendant to be punished."

A is accused of threatening employee B with a kitchen knife at his own store in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, at around 9:50 p.m. on April 8 last year. A had requested B to promote his store on social media, but when B refused, A threatened by holding the kitchen knife and saying, "If you don't promote the store, I will kill you," in a manner suggesting he would stab repeatedly.

A also strangled B's neck with both hands for the same reason. However, the indictment for assault charges against A was dismissed because B did not wish to press charges. Assault charges fall under the category of crimes that cannot be prosecuted without the victim's consent. Such crimes stipulate that the perpetrator cannot be punished against the victim's will.