'Bunsinsamang' Bang Yeong-hwan Assaulted by Taxi Company CEO Sentenced to 1 Year and 6 Months in Prison

Jeong Mo (51), the taxi company CEO who was charged with assault and intimidation of taxi driver Bang Yeong-hwan, who self-immolated and died while demanding the implementation of a full salary system, was sentenced to prison.

On the 28th, Judge Son Seung-woo of the Seoul Southern District Court Criminal Division 10 sentenced Jeong, who was detained and prosecuted on charges including injury, to 1 year and 6 months in prison.

The court stated, "This crime combines the defendant's tendency to neglect employer duties, as shown in his prior criminal record, with violent tendencies, and the circumstances, methods, and content of the crime are not light."

It continued, "The victim's death resulted from the defendant's repeated crimes and disputes, and the defendant still denies most of the criminal facts and has not shown sincere remorse."

However, the court explained the sentencing rationale, saying, "The illegality of the crime against the deceased victim is not so severe, and considering that the victim's relief applications and civil lawsuits filed during his lifetime were not accepted, it is not appropriate for the defendant to bear full responsibility for the victim's death."

Jeong is accused of assaulting Bang, a taxi driver affiliated with Haeseong Transport, who was conducting a solo protest in March last year condemning wage arrears and urging the implementation of a full salary system. In April of the same year, he allegedly verbally abused and cursed Bang, disrupting the rally, and in August, threatened Bang by attempting to throw a flowerpot during the protest. The indictment also includes charges of assaulting other workers and reckless driving after Bang's death.

Jeong had previously been punished 13 times for labor-related offenses including violations of the Labor Standards Act, and 5 times for violent crimes.

Bang, who had been continuing his solo protest for 227 days, attempted self-immolation by pouring a volatile substance on himself on the road in front of the company on September 26 last year, and died ten days later on October 6.