"Mother Appeals Over Daughter in Vegetative State After Assault by Classmate... Prosecutors 'Considering Harsher Sentencing'"

Victim's Mother Appeals Unfairness in Recent Post
5-Year Sentence Proposed for Serious Injury Charge... Verdict Next Month

The prosecution is considering increasing the sentence for a defendant in his 20s who indiscriminately assaulted a middle school classmate, leaving her in a 'vegetative state.'

On the 12th, the Gunsan Branch of the Jeonju District Prosecutors' Office stated, "We will ensure that a strict sentence is imposed on the defendant through a sentencing investigation of the case," adding, "If necessary, we will consider increasing the sentence." The prosecution also said, "Since immediately after the incident, we have been providing legal support to the victim's side, as well as covering medical and nursing expenses," and added, "We will continue to support the restoration of the victim's condition going forward."

This case came to light on the 5th when the victim's mother posted a message titled "Please clear my daughter's injustice. Help us" on the online community 'Bobaedream.' The author of the post, Ms. A, who is the mother of the victim, began by saying, "On February 6 last year, my beautiful and kind daughter, who went on a joyful and happy trip to Busan with close friends, returned from a journey of death due to a friend's assault." Ms. A explained that the assault occurred after her daughter had a minor argument with a female friend. Mr. B, the male assailant, suddenly intervened in the fight between the two women, using abusive language, which escalated into a major fight.

Ms. A claims that Mr. B struck her daughter's head twice, causing her daughter to hit her cervical spine on a nearby table and collapse to the floor. She explained, "My daughter was diagnosed with traumatic brain hemorrhage and is now in a paralyzed vegetative state," adding, "A strong man hit the head of a fragile 44 kg girl." She further stated, "The assailant and his family immediately hired a lawyer without offering any apology, and the trial is proceeding without detention based on the prosecution's judgment that there is no risk of flight or evidence tampering." She continued, "My daughter's life expectancy is only 2 to 3 years at best, but during today's court hearing, I was shocked to hear the prosecutor's recommendation of a 5-year sentence," appealing, "The world where weak people without money or connections suffer injustice must end now."

She expressed her anguish, saying, "If the assailant serves a short prison term and is released, our child may no longer be part of this world, while the assailant will live like a normal person again... I don't even want to think about it, but I keep becoming convinced that this will soon be reality, and it's driving me crazy." She also said, "I have endured hearing that the assailant has been comfortably living daily life for a year, drinking and going to PC rooms, but the punishment is only 5 years," and repeatedly asked community members to "clear my daughter's injustice" by submitting petitions to the court.

Mr. B is currently indicted on charges of serious injury, and the sentencing date is May 2.