"Do You Know Who I Am?"... Gangnam Building Owner Hits Three-Dimensional with 'Dawn Text'

"Called out and assaulted after sending 'Car wash complete' text"
Seoul Central District Court sentences to 5 million won fine

A building owner in Gangnam who assaulted a mobile car wash worker and an employee for sending a text message notifying the completion of a car wash early in the morning was sentenced to a fine.

On the 9th, Judge Lee Jong-min of the Criminal Division 3 at the Seoul Central District Court announced that he had sentenced Mr. A, a man in his 60s, to a fine of 5 million won on charges of violating the Act on the Punishment of Violent Acts (joint injury). Mr. A, who owns a building in the Gangnam station area under his name, was put on trial for calling Mr. B, a mobile car wash worker in his 50s, to a high-end restaurant in Gangnam, Seoul, last February evening, then verbally abusing and assaulting him, causing injuries requiring two weeks of medical treatment.

According to the investigation, Mr. A committed the crime because he was angry that Mr. B, the mobile car wash worker, sent a text message after finishing washing his car during the early morning hours. On the day of the incident, Mr. A had an employee call Mr. B to the restaurant and first seated him next to himself. Then, Mr. A told Mr. B, "Do you know who I am to be sending me a message at dawn?" while lightly punching Mr. B’s face and poking his side, accompanied by verbal abuse. When Mr. B explained that he sent messages to other customers early in the morning as well, Mr. C, the building’s parking manager who was present, joined in the assault. Mr. C threw a glass of water at Mr. B and punched him repeatedly, while Mr. A prevented Mr. B from escaping.

The court explained the reason for the fine, stating, "Mr. A admitted the facts but claimed there was no intent or result of injury. However, considering the victim received emergency room treatment and the medical records, it is reasonable to conclude that there was a disability in daily functioning." Separately, Mr. A was also charged with assault for grabbing and pulling the ear of another employee who had directly requested the mobile car wash from Mr. B, saying "It’s all your fault," but reached a settlement with the employee and the prosecution was dismissed. Assault is a semi-indictable offense that is not punished if the victim expresses a desire not to press charges.

Meanwhile, Mr. C was also indicted for assaulting a colleague with a shovel over a dispute regarding parking fee settlement, in addition to the assault on the car wash worker. The court sentenced Mr. C to a fine of 10 million won.