Former Bodybuilder Assaults Woman Who Asked to Move Car; Wife Also Gets Suspended Sentence for Participation

Former Bodybuilder Husband Sentenced to Two Years in Prison
Wife Involved in Assault Receives One Year Prison Term, Suspended for Two Years

A woman who assaulted another woman in an apartment complex parking lot, together with her husband?a former bodybuilder?after being asked to move her double-parked car, has been sentenced to a suspended prison term.

According to the legal community on April 30, the Incheon District Court, Criminal Division 5 (Presiding Judge Hong Junseo), sentenced Ms. A (39), who was indicted on charges of violating the Act on the Punishment of Violent Acts (joint assault), to one year in prison, suspended for two years. The court also ordered Ms. A to complete 160 hours of community service.

The court stated, "The defendant has not been forgiven by the victim," but also noted, "We took into account that she has no prior record of similar offenses, her degree of involvement was not significant, and her husband, who played the primary role, has already received a confirmed sentence of two years in prison."

Ms. A was indicted for assaulting and injuring a woman in her 30s, Ms. B, together with her husband?a former bodybuilder?at around 11:00 a.m. on May 20, 2023, in the parking lot of a commercial building in Namdong-gu, Incheon.

At the time, Ms. B had called to ask for the car blocking hers to be moved, which led to a confrontation with the couple when they arrived at the scene. Ms. A's husband grabbed Ms. B by the hair, threw her to the ground, and assaulted her with his fists and other means. During the incident, Ms. A was also found to have kicked the victim once each on the body and leg. Additionally, when Ms. B called out for help, saying, "Please call the police," Ms. A shouted, "Call the police, I’m pregnant, I’ll just say I was hit."

As a result of the assault, Ms. B suffered injuries including a broken rib, requiring six weeks of medical treatment. At the time, Ms. A and her husband claimed mutual assault, but the release of dashcam footage showing the assault sparked significant public controversy.

Previously, Ms. A's husband was sentenced to two years in prison and taken into custody at the first trial. He received the same sentence on appeal and did not contest the verdict, making the sentence final. Ms. A's husband, who is known to have placed in several domestic bodybuilding competitions, reportedly closed his gym after the incident. Ms. A, who was present at the scene and faced the same charges as her husband, was not immediately investigated by police due to her pregnancy at the time, and was later brought to trial.