Additional 1-Year Prison Sentence for Man in His 30s Who Spat on Correctional Officer's Face

Reported Bullying by Another Inmate,
Then Committed the Crime When Asked for a Detailed Statement
Claims: "I Was Protesting Against Illegal Official Duties Refusing to Investigate the Issue"

A man in his 30s who obstructed correctional duties by spitting on a correctional officer's face at a detention center has been sentenced to a longer prison term.

The Jeonju District Court Criminal Division 3 (Judge Ki Hee-kwang) announced on the 16th that it sentenced A (38), who was indicted on charges of obstruction of official duties, damage to public property, and assault, to one year in prison.

A, who was serving a two-year sentence for special injury at the Seoul Dongbu Detention Center, was indicted for grabbing a correctional officer's arm and pulling a nearby telephone cord to break it during a meeting last year. After being subdued and forced to wear protective gear, he spat in the correctional officer's face. At the time, A had reported to the officer that "another inmate was bullying him," but when asked for a detailed statement, he committed these offenses.

During the trial, he claimed that "I was protesting against illegal official duties that refused to investigate the bullying issue among inmates."

However, the court, judging that his method was not justified, stated, "There was no illegality in the correctional officers' guidance, but the defendant's actions were not lawful," and added, "The defendant has a history of being punished multiple times for similar crimes but has made no effort to stop the offenses, so severe punishment is inevitable." The court further ruled, "However, considering that the damage caused by this offense is not severe, the sentence was determined accordingly."