Recently, the couple who caused public outrage last year in the so-called 'Bulgwang-dong Substitute Driver Soccer Kick' assault case were sentenced to prison, and the victim expressed feeling "thrilled" about the trial outcome.
On the 20th, an online community 'Bobae Dream' posted an article titled "Bulgwang-dong Substitute Driver Assault Case, finally the first trial criminal court has ended." The author, who identified themselves as the victim, Mr. A, said, "It has been 1 year and 3 months since the incident occurred, and finally the first trial verdict has been announced," and shared news footage and photos of the judgment documents related to the case. Mr. A stated, "The man and woman were each sentenced to 4 months in prison, and the female perpetrator received a 1-year probation sentence."
Earlier, on August 13th last year, around 10:40 PM, Mr. A was assaulted by the couple Mr. and Mrs. B in a parking lot of a building in Bulgwang-dong, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul. Mr. A had arrived at the scene after receiving a call for substitute driving and waited for the couple for about 20 minutes, which led to a verbal dispute. During this process, as Mr. A was threatened and stepped back, the couple’s child suddenly ran up and bumped into him. The couple then claimed that Mr. A had pushed their child and began indiscriminate violence.
The CCTV footage showed the husband tripping Mr. A by hooking his leg and the wife kicking Mr. A’s head hard as if kicking a soccer ball. The couple told the police, "Mr. A pushed our child. We were hit too," but the CCTV footage and other evidence proved that Mr. A was the victim, and the couple was brought to trial.
On the 13th, the Seoul Western District Court sentenced the husband, Mr. B, to 4 months in prison for assaulting substitute driver Mr. A, and the wife, Mrs. C, to 4 months in prison with a 1-year probation. The court explained the sentencing by stating that the couple’s violent behavior was serious and that they showed an attitude of shifting responsibility onto the victim, Mr. A.
Mr. A said, "Some may think the punishment is light, but from my perspective, who was worried that there might be no actual prison sentence, this verdict is satisfactory," adding, "In a short life, the 4 months (that the perpetrators will spend in detention) is truly a precious time lost."
He continued, "When I first learned that the couple was detained, I felt a bit uneasy thinking about their child, but as time passed, I found myself smiling quietly. Today, seeing the words 'Southern Detention Center Re-detainee' made me feel truly ecstatic."
He also said, "As stated in the judgment, the fact that the judge did not overlook the arrogant attitude of the perpetrators and their lawyers, and that my attendance at the trial was not in vain?confirming these officially in writing is very thrilling," adding, "If I had lost my temper and thrown punches at that moment, I would never have experienced this civilized victory, which makes it even more thrilling."
Finally, Mr. A said, "It is not over yet," noting that the opposing party has appealed and the prosecutor has also filed an appeal. He added, "I will start a civil lawsuit on my own," and thanked everyone for their support.
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